Riverside
launches yearlong fundraiser
Texas’ First Lady solidly behind project
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Texas’ First Lady, Anita Perry supported the Riverside General Hospital, by
serving as Honorary Chairperson for the June 19 Press Conference, Riverside Hospital and
the Kickoff Luncheon at the Westin Galleria Hotel. Houston Riverside General Hospital, the
Nation’s second oldest African-American run hospital conducted its fundraising event
on June 19 to coincide with its 84th birthday.
Hospital Administrator Earnest Gibson, III said, “the Hospital was founded on
Emancipation Day so it is more than fitting that we conduct a fundraiser on this
historical day to try and put the hospital on sounder financial footing.” The
hospital was established due to the magnanimous gift of the Late J.S. Cullinan. The
Cullinan family continues to support Riverside General Hospital, morally, spiritually and
financially, and attended the Luncheon with pride.
In order to make the fundraiser more successful, Gibson stated that the hospital reached
out to one of its oldest friends, Texas First Lady. “Anita Perry was our friend when
people were afraid to associate with us. She helped us get out the truth about what was
occurring at Riverside, when there was so much negative information being
disseminated
throughout Houston and the State of Texas.”
Working with the First Lady are a number of distinguished community leaders, among them
are; Attorney Guy Matthews, Attorney Dick DeGuerin, Judge Alvin Zimmerman and Dr. Edith
Irby Jones, who serves as the Chief of Medical staff at Riverside. They have 1aunched a
year long fundraising campaign including: Reception, August 21; Community Telethon, August
31; Luncheon, October, Achievers Award Ceremony/Banquet, February, 2003 and a Texas Style
Black Tie gala - June 19, 2003.
Riverside General hospita1 is located in a number of sites around the City of Houston. It
has 98 beds in its primary hospital facility, which is located in a federally designated
medically underserved area, and another 450 beds in other satellite locations. The
hospital is a full service community hospital: medical, surgical, psychiatric and
pediatric services all included. The hospital also has one of the most comprehensive
substance abuse programs in the nation, having twice been given the highest national
awards for its efforts by two separate National Drug Czars.
Gibson says that “the hospital has the largest percentage of Medicaid patients of any
hospital in the State of Texas, and according to the Attorney General, Riverside allocates
the largest percentage of its budget to charitable care of any hospital in the State; this
places a tremendous burden on the hospital’s finances, therefore there is a need to
raise additiona1 funds in order that Riverside may hire the necessary doctors, nurses and
other professional staff to care for those in need.
The Program Planning Committee consisted of Earnest Gibson, III, Administrator/CEO, Dr.
Doris Jackson, Anjannette Wyatt-Johnson and a host of committee members and the fine staff
at Riverside General Hospital. |
