The WCA Foundation has officially launched its year-end fundraising campaign, calling on the community to help support patient care at UPMC Chautauqua.

“This is one of the most important campaigns our community holds,” said Kristin Melville, foundation executive director. “The demand for care at UPMC Chautauqua continues to grow, and with it, the need for community support.”

In 2024 alone, UPMC Chautauqua recorded: 691 births; 36,881 emergency room visits;198,057 outpatient visits; 5,643 inpatient admissions.

“These numbers represent friends, neighbors, and families in our community,” Melville said. “And while insurance and federal assistance help cover many costs, not all care is fully reimbursed. That’s where philanthropy becomes absolutely essential.”

For more than 43 years, the WCA Foundation has strengthened local healthcare through charitable giving–largely through endowments created by grateful patients and their families. While those endowments have grown significantly, many are restricted for specific purposes and cannot be used to support general needs.

“Keeping our community healthy is our number one priority,” Melville explained. “Annual giving is crucial because it allows us to respond to the most immediate and flexible needs at the hospital.”

Donations can be made at wcafoundationjamestown.org or mailed to the WCA Foundation, Jones Health, PO Box 840, 51 Glasgow Ave., Jamestown, NY 14702 or by contacting the foundation at 716-664-8665. The WCA Foundation and UPMC Chautauqua are non-profit organizations.

“Our administrative overhead is just 1%,” she noted. “That means 99 cents of every donated dollar goes directly to patient care and hospital needs. A single gift here truly touches a large population.”