Fredericksburg, VA (October 10, 2018) – Mary Washington Hospital Foundation (the Foundation) is pleased to announce a gift of $5 million by its Chairman Joe Wilson and his wife, Mary Wilson, to establish an endowment to support the Mary Washington Hospital Community Benefit Fund (the Fund). This generous gift represents the largest publicly reported single cash donation by a local family to Mary Washington Hospital Foundation and among the largest received by any area charity. With the Wilson’s gift, the Fund will total $20 million.

“Mary and I are blessed to be able to provide this gift,” said Mr. Wilson. In recognition of the Wilson’s substantial donation and generous philanthropic legacy with the Foundation and Mary Washington Healthcare, the Fund is being renamed the Joe and Mary Wilson Community Benefit Fund of Mary Washington Hospital Foundation.

“We are very thankful for Mr. and Mrs. Wilson’s commitment to Mary Washington Hospital and the Foundation. Their gift will benefit the great work of hundreds of local organizations that significantly impact the health status of tens of thousands area residents,” said Xavier R. Richardson, President of Mary Washington Hospital Foundation. “The gift truly represents their philanthropic philosophy of assistance to underserved persons in our community. The renaming of the Fund after the Wilsons is one of the most appropriate and long-lasting ways to pay tribute to the legacy and leadership of Joe and Mary Wilson.”

Over the years, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson made many significant donations to the Foundation. They generously supported the Foundation’s past campaigns for the benefit of the Fund, the Moss Free Clinic, and the Mary Washington Healthcare Regional Cancer Center. The Wilsons also supported numerous Foundation fundraisers such as the Fredericksburg Polo Classic, Roastin’ at the Rivah Oyster Roast, Fredericksburg Brewhaha, and the Mary Washington Healthcare Regional Cancer Center’s Power of Pink Breast Cancer Walk. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are leaders in healthcare philanthropy and embody the mission to improve the health of those who live in our community.

Joe Wilson, CEO of PermaTreat Pest Control, played a major role in the development and leadership of the Fund since its inception in 1993. As chair of the Mary Washington Hospital Board of Directors at that time, he was instrumental in the formation of the Fund which was created to provide financial resources to local nonprofits that support the organization’s mission; contain and/or reduce the cost of healthcare in the local communities; and improved access to quality medical care for the poor and medically underserved populations. Mr. Wilson later served as the chair of the Fund Grants Selection Committee.

Since its founding, the Fund provided 543 grants to 112 different community agencies totaling over $15 million from the income of the Fund. In addition, the Fund provided $3.5 million to establish the Stafford Hospital Community Benefit Fund in 2008 which has awarded 70 grants to 12 different agencies totaling over $1.4 million.

Mr. Wilson demonstrates a moral obligation to financially support the local community that has supported the success of his business ventures. In addition to providing financial support to the Foundation, the Wilsons generously supported numerous organizations across the state. Last month, Virginia Tech was the recipient of a $1 million gift from Joe and Mary Wilson for the establishment of an endowment to support urban entomology research. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson established a donor advised fund at The Community Foundation and support the Fredericksburg SPCA, Fredericksburg Academy, and the Rappahannock United Way.

To learn more about the Joe and Mary Wilson Community Benefit Fund of Mary Washington Hospital Foundation, Mary Washington Hospital Foundation, or how to donate, visit www.mwhc.com and select “Donate Now.”

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Mary Washington Hospital Foundation was founded in 1988 as the fundraising vehicle for Mary Washington Hospital. The purpose of the Foundation is to generate philanthropic interest in Mary Washington Hospital, cultivate donor relationships, seek grants, and act as a grant maker to provide financial support for community health-related initiatives.