Foundation donors meet challenge

Feb 01, 2021 Re-posted from the February 2021 issue of Vascular Specialist

By Beth Bales

The SVS Foundation received an extra infusion of contributions in late 2020, thanks to more than 40 new donors and the generosity of four members who matched a portion of these donations.

The Foundation received $11,878 from new donors during the year-end Matching Gift Challenge, with the four—William Shutze, MD, Thomas Forbes, MD, Peter Nelson, MD, and Jens Eldrup-Jorgensen, MD— providing an additional $10,000 in matching funds.

The Greatest Need Fund garnered $9,910 from 37 new donors, with three members providing an additional $8,000 in matching funds. New donors also contributed $2,468 to the Awareness and Prevention Fund for community health initiatives, with a fourth SVS member providing an additional $2,000 in matching funds.

Shutze kicked off the matching challenge, hoping to help earlyand mid-career surgeons develop the “giving habit.” He himself is a latecomer as a Foundation donor, becoming more involved when he saw that the Foundation and its projects impact all SVS members.

That was his impetus for sponsoring a Matching Gift Challenge in late 2020, matching donations by firsttime donors up to $5,000 for the Foundation’s Greatest Need Fund. Forbes, Nelson and Jorgensen are pleased with the success of the venture. “Thanks to my SVS colleagues who took up the challenge in support of the SVS Foundation,” said Forbes.

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