Pictured here is the original teapot which two young brothers used to bring their pennies to St. Margaret Memorial Hospital in 1930 --and thus was born the annual children's pilgrimage to support the Free Bed Fund.

Filling the financial gap between covered services and the complete support patients and families may require.

Since 1930, The Bed Fund has been a vital resource for patients of St. Margaret. That year, two young brothers brought pennies, nickels, and dimes in an elephant-shaped teapot on a pilgrimage to the hospital to support the free Bed Fund. This pilgrimage introduced generations of children and adults to the satisfaction of charitable giving.

The Bed Fund continues to provide assistance to uninsured and underinsured patients of UPMC St. Margaret and its three family health centers.  Transportation, medication, and lodging are just a few examples of assistance provided to our inpatients and outpatients. Recently, the Fund enabled the wife of an elderly patient, who resides more than 100 miles from here, to stay in a local hotel to be near her husband while he was in the hospital. A 38-year-old woman with severe asthma, diabetes, and is oxygen-dependent was provided with a room air conditioner through the Fund to improve her quality of life.

The financial challenges of our nation have affected all of us, but for some it has compromised their most basic quality of life. Here are examples of how you can make a difference by designating a gift to The Bed Fund:

• $25 pays for a holiday meal for a family of four who are patients at our Family Health Centers
• $37 pays for one tetanus/diphtheria immunization shot
• $58 pays for one flu shot
• $75 pays for an eye exam for a diabetic patient
• $80 pays for one night's lodging for a family who has traveled far to be with their loved one in the hospital
• $100 pays for one vial of insulin for a diabetic patient
• $150 pays for an air conditioner for a patient with pulmonary disease
• $500 replaces a water heater lost in a flash flood
• $650 replaces a washer and a dryer lost in a flash flood
• $1,000-$2,000 pays for numerous medical needs at UPMC St. Margaret Family Health Centers in Bloomfield-Garfield, Lawrenceville, and New Kensington where the vast majority of patients are below the poverty level.

For more information, please call 412-784-4215.

When times get tough, the Employee Emergency Fund can help.

UPMC St. Margaret takes pride in its staff - the source of its tradition of quality health care and true caring for patients. A high level of service, enthusiasm, and performance can only be maintained when employees are free to focus on their work, apart from emergency situations and related financial issues at home.

St. Margaret Foundation provides an Employee Emergency Fund for hospital and health center employees, and staff affiliated with physician offices.

The Employee Emergency Fund is maintained through the support of donations. Criteria for assistance through the Employee Emergency Fund are:

1. Financial hardship due to a medical emergency
2. Financial hardship due to a natural disaster*

Employees must be full-time or part-time (casual employees will be evaluated on an individual basis based on other employment and resources). Employment will be verified by Human Resources.

For more information about the Employee Emergency Fund, call St. Margaret Foundation at 412-784-4205.

*Examples of natural disasters include fire damage to home, flash flood/power outages due to severe weather, unexpected damaging snow storms and tornadoes.

• The Auxiliary Fund - This fund supports various initiatives of UPMC St. Margaret, including hospital beautification
• The Family Health Center Fund - This fund provides assistance to the Family Practice Residency Program and Family Health Center needs
• The Free Rides for Seniors - A 14-passenger van transports senior citizens who live south of Route 28 in the communities of Sharpsburg, Aspinwall, and Blawnox to the grocery store, pharmacy, doctor’s office, hospital, other stores or residences within the vicinity.
• The Nursing Education Fund - Continuing education for nurses at UPMC St. Margaret Hospital.
• The Oncology Patient Assistance Fund - This fund is for the use of the Oncology Department to financially aid those patients with oncologic conditions who are being cared for at UPMC St. Margaret
• The School of Nursing Fund - This fund provides assistance to the School of Nursing so that the community can rely on nurses who meet their healthcare needs