E.C.M.S. Foundation

The ECMS Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Escambia County Medical Society. A organization dedicated to providing healthcare services to the elderly, uninsured, and economically disadvantaged citizens of Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties. ECMSF was founded in 1994 as a 501c3 non-profit organization.

The Foundation Goals:

• To help assure access to healthcare for the medically needy citizens of the county.

• To be at the forefront of public health principles and practices.

• To meet the needs of patients and physicians of Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties.

Our current programs and projects are:

• Escambia County We Care.

• Go Seniors Program.

• Blood Pressure Cuff Program.

• FSU Medical Student Scholarships.

• Pensacola State College Endowment.

• Physician Wellness Program.

• Strength Management And Resiliency Training (S.M.A.R.T.)

The charitable works of our foundation are made possible by physician contributions financially and through time and skill.

1. We Care Program: dedicated to helping the indigent and uninsured patients access care. This is only achievable because of our member physicians who generously donate their time and skill. Please consider joining this effort.

2. Go Seniors Program: dedicated to helping the elderly poor see their doctor on a regular basis by covering transportation expenses. Additionally we have expanded this program to meet the current needs of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic by enabling patients to use the voucher transportation program to get their vaccines.

3. Blood Pressure Cuff Program: dedicated to helping patients monitor their blood pressure at home by providing free blood pressure cuffs.

4. FSU Medical Student Scholarships: is an endowment made in conjunction with the Pensacola regional campus. Medical students are presented scholarships and hopefully this will emphasize the need for our area, and some will come back here to practice after all of their training. An initial $100,000.00 contribution was made through the Foundation to create it, and it has continuously grown. Various fundraisers have helped to sustain it.

5. Pensacola State College Endowment: dedicated to funding scholarships of students attending Pensacola State College who are interested in health-related fields of study.

6. Physician Wellness Program:

“Helping healers heal”: dedicated to helping our physician colleagues who may be suffering personal and professional angst. Member physicians may access three private sessions with a highly skilled psychologist.

7. S.M.A.R.T. Program:

Dedicated to Stress Management and Resiliency Training. Our physician instructor is Dr. Rohit Amin who will teach a 90 minute class each week over nine weeks.

Additionally, the ECMS Foundation has participated in other varied endeavors. It has provided awards to local science fair winners, money for public service billboards, and enabled a project to bridge the gap between hospital and home care.

In 2017 the ECMS Foundation created the 1873 Society, a society to raise awareness and fundraise for our projects. Donors who donate $3,000 or more are recognized at all society meetings, with names engraved on a special plaque.

It is your participation in these programs that keep it going. The money for the Foundation comes from your tax deductible donations. Please consider this as you review your charitable giving. Checks may be sent to the Foundation at 4771 Bayou Blvd., #157, Pensacola 32503.

Thanks to everyone who has been involved!

The ECMS Foundation Board:

President: Ellen W. McKnight, M.D.

Vice President: Joanne Bujnoski, D.O.

Secretary/Treasurer: Michelle Brandhorst, M.D.

Current ECMS President: Maureen Padden, M.D.

Members at Large: Wayne Willis, M.D. Hillary Hultstrand, M.D. Brian Kirby, M.D.

Executive Director: Laura Griffin