FMMS Foundation

The FMMS Scholarship Foundation has officially changed its name to the FMMS Foundation to better reflect its broadened mission.

As a 501-(c) 3 non-profit, tax exempt organization, the Scholarship Foundation has existed since the early 1950s and the famous "Polio Sundays" when the American public across the nation brought their children to firehouses, schools, churches, etc. on the appointed dates to receive their polio vaccine/immunizations often imbedded in sugar cubes. In gratitude for receiving the vaccines which would prevent their children from contracting the dreaded Infantile Paralysis (better known as "polio") parents contributed $1, $5, $10 or whatever toward the cost of obtaining the vaccines. Nationally, millions of dollars were received via this mechanism.

In Fresno, a number of doctors were involved with setting up the mass community effort to immunize children. They took nothing for their time and services. Once the contributions covered the cost of the vaccines, the excess money was channeled into FMMS which established the FMMS Scholarship Foundation to assist local students pursuing medical or nursing degrees.

The Scholarship Foundation endowment fund grew over the years assisted by the efforts of the FMMS Physicians Dixieland Band, a group of musically talented physicians who began playing a wide variety of local events for which they received numerous honoraria. Rather than accepting any money for themselves, the band members elected to donate all proceeds to the scholarship fund.

Additionally, FMMS established the practice of contributing $50 to the Foundation in honor of each deceased member. This practice adds a few hundred dollars per year to the fund along with direct donations from individual physicians, families and friends who choose to memorialize their loved ones perhaps even through designating a specific named scholarship.

Many FMMS members each year choose to make direct, tax deductible contributions to the fund as they remit their FMMS/CMA dues. Typically, these donations add some three or four thousand dollars to the funding pool.

Another source of income for the fund has come from the efforts of a group of FMMS members who annually conduct sports screening exams for athletes in the Fresno Unified School District and a number of its high schools. The modest $10 fee contributed by the participating athlete or parents raises an additional $4,000+ dollars, a portion of which goes back to the athletic departments of each of the high schools involved to purchase needed injury prevention gear or equipment used in treating athletes injured during training or competition.

Early on nursing, pharmacy and/or physical therapy students received scholarship funds, but ultimately a decision was made to limit the financial assistance to medical students only. The grants continue to be made only to Fresno or Madera County residents who have been accepted into an accredited medical school. Scholarship payments are made directly to the student's account at the medical school to assure that the aid goes directly toward educational expenses rather than for personal expenditures or use.

While scholarship funds and activities will continue into the future and will always be the prime reason for the existence of the charitable activities, the Scholarship Foundation Board of Directors recognized the need to create other opportunities for charitable giving since not all potential donors are motivated to contribute for scholarship. As a result, the decision was made to change the name of the FMMS Scholarship Foundation to the shorter, yet more inclusive, name of the FMMS Foundation.

Under this newly expanded scope of activity, the FMMS Foundation will continue its Scholarship Fund in perpetuity and has retained all prior donations and earnings for this purpose.

Additionally, to broaden its charitable appeal to a wider audience and to undertake other projects, the FMMS Foundation has added both a Building Fund and a Creative Reserve Fund. The Foundation's Building Fund has set a goal of obtaining the site and the construction of a new headquarters facility for the Foundation and FMMS. The vision is for a building designed specifically to house the Society and its activities including offices, educational/meeting/training rooms, board room, and state-of-the art CME delivery via satellite and other developing technologies. The building would also contain suitable space for the display of the "History of Medicine" in the Fresno area and would house the collection of medical equipment, devices, artifacts, textbooks and other library items which the FMMS Historical Committee has been accumulating over the years.

The potential for a building large enough to permit subleasing of office space to compatible organizations to provide on-going income to the Foundation is being explored as well.

The goal is to complete the fund raising and have a building in use by 2005

Purpose of the Creative Reserve Fund is to establish an investment fund which would provide annual amounts of dollars devoted to other projects and efforts such as purchase of needed equipment, hardware, new technology, staff development, and/or support of other worthwhile causes which may not be possible in the normal operating budget of either the Foundation or its parent, FMMS. All expenditures from these funds would be directed by the FMMS Foundation Board.

The Foundation Board is working with a local fund raising specialist and has begun the effort to attract major gifts from interested members and others who may have a charitable intent for some portion of their accumulated wealth or estate. This "Leave a Legacy" effort encourages individuals to consider a charitable gift even if as little as 1% of an estate. The expertise, both financial and legal, is available to meet and work with any individual interested in establishing tax advantaged charitable remainder trusts, gift annuities or other means of gift transfers. Simply call FMMS at 224-4224, ext 114 to set up an exploratory, no-cost and completely confidential opportunity to meet with these experts to discuss the potential for creating a lasting gift to a worthwhile cause close to the heart of many physicians and their beloved profession without disenfranchising family or other rightful heirs.

MAKE A DONATION!

Anyone wishing to support the work of the FMMS Foundation may do so via a check or money order made payable to The FMMS Foundation. Gifts may be made in honor of someone or to recognize a special occasion or to memorialize the memory of a loved one whether a physician or not.

All contributions are fully tax deductible under IRS provisions applicable to a 501 (c) (3) charitable foundation. Gifts may be designated as being for: The Scholarship Fund, The Building Fund, or the Creative Reserve Fund. Undesignated contributions will be used at the Board's discretion based upon area(s) of need.

Those who are perhaps considering a major gift of money, stock, property, or life insurance proceeds or who wish to consider establishing a trust or an annuity gift may contact either FMMS or Ellen Burton, at 224-4224 for assistance in getting in touch with the Foundation's major gifts consultant and the appropriate tax and estate planning consultants working with the Foundation