Dear Teresa,
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughtful reflections and for your continued support of health care in our district. Your words speak to the heart of what has made the Riverside Foundation for Health Care such a powerful force: community, collaboration, and a shared commitment to improving local health care.
Like many in the community, we were surprised and saddened by Riverside Health Care’s decision to sever ties with the Foundation. We appreciate your call for clarity, and in the spirit of transparency, we would like to offer the following context.
- The Relationship Agreement: The Foundation was first presented with the proposed Relationship Agreement in late October 2024, with a request to sign it by Christmas. We were not involved in its development and had no opportunity to provide input before it was delivered to us.
- Our Response: In late January 2025, on the advice of legal counsel, we did not sign the Agreement. The terms, as written, would have given Riverside control over the Foundation’s governance and operations—effectively altering the Foundation’s autonomy. We made multiple attempts after January to engage in dialogue and schedule meetings with the Riverside Board to discuss the Agreement collaboratively. Unfortunately, we were not granted that opportunity.
- Mediation: To our knowledge, no attempts at mediation were made. On March 3rd, we received a letter from Riverside formally ending the partnership. This came without prior notice, discussion, or engagement in any resolution process.
- The Path Forward: We, too, struggle to understand how replacing an established, community-driven fundraising infrastructure—supported by dedicated volunteers and thousands of donors—can be more effective. To date, we have not been given any rationale for this decision beyond our refusal to sign the Agreement as presented.
We remain incredibly proud of the work accomplished over the years and deeply grateful to the volunteers, donors, partners, and community members who have supported the Foundation’s mission.
While this turn of events is difficult, we share your hope that the core spirit of collaboration, transparency, and service to the community will ultimately prevail. Our commitment to the values that built this Foundation remains unwavering.
Thank you again for your support.
Tyler Cousineau, Board Chair
Shanda DeGagne-Begin, Vice-Chair
Paul Brunetta, Past Chair
