The gift is the largest single gift in University history and the largest single gift made by Golisano.
The 人妻少妇专区 announced today that entrepreneur, philanthropist, and civic leader B. Thomas 鈥淭om鈥� Golisano has made a historic $50 million commitment, making it possible to build the Golisano Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Institute at the 人妻少妇专区 Medical Center. The new world-class transdisciplinary center will provide solutions to the health and quality of life issues that affect people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Those with IDD are a traditionally underserved population, with approximately 19,000 people affected locally, 120,000 regionally, and 200 million worldwide.
Golisano鈥檚 gift will significantly expand the University鈥檚 distinctive strengths in IDD patient care, community outreach, and caregiver support programs. These span the University鈥檚 schools, institutes, departments, centers, and programs and include such areas as its , , and its , (LEND), (UCEDD), and its (IDDRC), and the (EIOH).
The gift will also make it possible to bring together these resources within one institute; to become the worldwide gold standard for IDD health, services, and outreach; and to expand and form new regional, national, and global partnerships with leading academic and health care institutions and community agencies.
Golisano鈥檚 gift also names the Golisano Specialty Clinic at Eastman Dental Center, which serves nearly 2,000 people with IDD each year.
鈥淐reating a better world for people with IDD has been a passion of mine for over 40 years. I know that this is a shared goal with Golisano Children鈥檚 Hospital and the URMC as they have proven through their ongoing commitment and growth in this field of care,鈥� says Golisano. 鈥淯RMC鈥檚 vision for the new Golisano IDD Institute takes that dedication to a new and unprecedented level, putting patients at the center of every focus and providing one-stop integrated care and coordinated customized services. The impact will be an enhanced quality of life and access to care that, before now, has only been a dream for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.鈥�
Between his personal giving and his foundation, Golisano鈥檚 total philanthropy to the 人妻少妇专区 Medical Center now nears $100 million. In addition to today鈥檚 commitment, in 2002, Golisano donated $14 million to build the (GCH), to help recruit outstanding faculty, and to expand programs in cardiac care, general surgery, neurology, and more. In 2011, he contributed another $20 million to GCH to build a new hospital, and in 2020 made a $5 million gift to establish the .
Golisano has given more than $145 million to organizations globally that are dedicated to advancing the health and social inclusion of people with IDD, including Special Olympics and the Golisano Children鈥檚 Hospitals in Rochester and Syracuse, New York, and Southwest Florida. Today鈥檚 gift marks the largest single gift that Golisano has ever made.
鈥淚 am tremendously grateful to Tom for his visionary commitment to IDD, to this University, and to his hometown of Rochester,鈥� says Sarah C. Mangelsdorf, 人妻少妇专区 President and the G. Robert Witmer, Jr. University Professor. 鈥淗is transformative generosity will propel our strengths, deepen our commitment to IDD, and truly change lives around the world. There is no question that those with IDD will have a better, brighter future because of Tom Golisano.鈥�
鈥淎s board chair, I speak for all University trustees when I say how grateful we are to Tom Golisano and his foundation for this historic gift,鈥� says Richard B. Handler, CEO of Jefferies Financial Group. 鈥淭hrough his actions, Tom has become the embodiment of President Mangelsdorf鈥檚 vision of boundless possibility, as outlined in the University鈥檚 strategic plan. This gift will change the 人妻少妇专区, our Medical Center, and our community forever and it will inspire others to follow in Tom鈥檚 large footsteps.鈥�
The University has named , the Killian J. and Caroline F. Schmitt Chair in Neuroscience and director of the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, to direct the new institute. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 be happier, more proud, and more inspired to take on this role, providing solutions to the health and quality of life issues that affect people with IDD,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he institute will serve as a pivotal hub for excellence and will advance, advocate, serve, and champion IDD care, treatments, and education around the world. Thank you, Tom, for this exceptional gift and for changing people鈥檚 lives by creating the world鈥檚 number-one IDD institute.鈥�
Resources will immediately serve people with IDD while propelling the institute into prominence, allowing the University to accomplish now what it estimates would take 20 years otherwise. Golisano鈥檚 gift places the University among the most recognizable centers in the nation today鈥攐ne of eight with the three core requirements of an IDDRC, LEND, and UCEDD.
Adds Foxe, 鈥淐ombining our strengths in therapeutic innovation, specialized IDD training, and community partnerships with our exceptional strengths in delivering quality, cutting-edge health care across our specialty clinics will position the Golisano IDD Institute to provide new models of IDD care.鈥�
Foxe also notes that over the past nine years, the University has invested nearly $80 million in IDD programs. 鈥淎lthough our clinical, therapeutic, and educational programs make Rochester an important regional and national resource, we must do more to address the growing needs of those with IDD,鈥� he says. 鈥淭om鈥檚 gift will help us close gaps, address challenges, meet demands, and expand educational opportunities, curricula, and community partnerships. We can now purchase the highly sophisticated tools required to allow breakthroughs in diagnosis and treatment, hire and train more professionals, and better meet the growing demand for services.鈥�
Adds , CEO of the 人妻少妇专区 Medical Center, dean of the School of Medicine and Dentistry, and senior vice president for health sciences for the 人妻少妇专区, 鈥淭om鈥檚 generosity is truly transformational. Because of him, URMC can increase our clinical services and access to care鈥攁n enormous need in our region鈥攁nd become the global leader in IDD medical evaluations and diagnoses, the training of IDD professionals, and advocacy, assistance, and consultation programs for the lasting benefit of those with IDD.鈥�
鈥淥ur team at GCH includes leaders in patient care, training, research, and community partnerships, all working together to improve care, health, and quality of life for individuals with IDD. Tom Golisano鈥檚 gift will facilitate additional growth, collaboration, and coordination to build on this commitment in a way that is unprecedented,鈥� says Jill Halterman, chair of the Department of Pediatrics and physician-in-chief of Golisano Children鈥檚 Hospital. 鈥淥n behalf of the children and families who will benefit from this support, we are so incredibly thankful.鈥�
Eastman Institute for Oral Health Director Eli Eliav adds, 鈥淟ast year, EIOH was the largest provider of dental care to people with special needs, serving nearly 2,000 patients with IDD from more than 40 New York counties in our community clinics, specialty care clinics, and Strong Memorial Hospital,鈥� he says. 鈥淭om Golisano has supported this work for many years, and we are extremely grateful for the gift he is announcing today, which will enable EIOH to expand clinical services and train more dentists to provide compassionate care that helps people with IDD maintain healthy smiles.鈥�
鈥淭om Golisano is a true innovator and changemaker. He sees opportunities others don鈥檛, understands the importance of talent and leadership, and brings people together to create solutions,鈥� says Thomas Farrell, senior vice president for University Advancement. 鈥淲e can all learn from his drive to make our community and the world a better place.鈥�
Plans are underway for the new facility, which will be located on a to-be-determined site on the 人妻少妇专区鈥檚 Medical Center 人妻少妇专区.
About Tom Golisano
Tom Golisano is the founder of , the nation鈥檚 largest human resource company for small to medium-sized businesses, providing integrated human capital management solutions for payroll, benefits, human resources, and insurance services for more than 740,000 clients in the US and聽Northern Europe.
Golisano鈥檚 vision, perseverance, and action have left an indelible mark on a broad spectrum of issues that touch our lives鈥攊n business, health care, education, voter policies, politics, and tax reform. His聽continuing investments are helping drive the success of聽numerous businesses and startups. His personal philanthropic contributions to hospitals, including three Golisano Children鈥檚 Hospitals, and numerous educational institutions and other organizations exceed $380 million.聽He has dedicated more than $145 million to advancing inclusive health around the world, including $67 million to Special Olympics, helping to close the significant gap in access to care for people with intellectual disabilities.
A fierce advocate for dignity and inclusion, in 1985, Golisano applied his pioneering spirit to establish the聽聽to make the world a better place for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. With more than $60 million in gross assets, it is one of the largest private foundations in the US devoted to supporting programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, awarding about $3 million annually to nonprofit organizations in Western New York and Southwest Florida.
Health Care of the Highest Order
The 人妻少妇专区鈥檚 2030 strategic plan, , articulates bold goals that will guide the institution toward framing and solving the greatest challenges of the future. The Golisano IDD Institute aligns with these goals, helping the University expand and transform health care delivery, promote an inclusive culture, and build programs of excellence. As part of the plan, the University will also establish a set of new and reimagined transdisciplinary centers and institutes鈥攖he Golisano IDD Institute is one of the first. It will bring together experts in their fields to collaborate and push the boundaries of their disciplines.
