From staff reports

MARIETTA — THe Memorial Health Foundation is celebrating raising over $600,000 to support more than 30 patient-centered caring initiatives during its fifth annual Giving Tuesday campaign last week.

“This year, we set an ambitious goal to raise $500,000 on Giving Tuesday (Dec. 2),” said Executive Director of Memorial Health Foundation Jarrett Stull. “Our own team members and community didn’t just rise to the challenge – they surpassed it in extraordinary fashion.

“This remarkable generosity reflects something fundamental about our region: We deeply value having an independent, community-led hospital, and we stand behind it,” he said. “On Giving Tuesday, our community showed just how much they believe in protecting and strengthening local care.”

Every dollar contributed to this Giving Tuesday campaign directly supports patients and families by advancing lifesaving programs, expanding access to services such as transportation and screenings, and helping build the new Women and Children’s Hospital in Belpre, a release from the foundation said. It also supports Sistersville General Hospital in Sistersville and surrounding ambulatory clinics through the Together campaign and the Promise campaign respectively.

Each donation, regardless of its size, makes an impact, the release said. Local businesses and organizations also contributed through matching gift challenges throughout the day. Organizers thanked “key supporters” Tri-State Roofing & Sheet Metal, Morrison Inc., Peoples Bank Foundation and Hall Financial Advisors Giving Foundation.