Hagedorn Fund gives Northwell $8 million for program for new mothers

Northwell Health has received $8 million from the Horace and Amy Hagedorn Fund to establish the Northwell Health Visits pilot program, a home-visitation program for new mothers and their infants that connects them with community resources.

Money from the gift will also establish a scholarship fund for students in the Family Nurse Practitioner program at the Hofstra Northwell School of Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies.

The Hagedorn Fund originally agreed to donate the money to Northwell and Hofstra in 2016, prior to Amy Hagedorn's death later that year. Hagedorn was a long-standing philanthropist on Long Island.

Her husband was Horace Hagedorn, who founded the popular Miracle-Gro gardening product.

Amy Hagedorn was also a former member of Hofstra University’s Board of Trustees. Hagedorn Hall, which houses the School of Education and the Hofstra Northwell School of Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies, is named in honor of Amy and Horace Hagedorn.

New Hyde Park-based Northwell Health is the state's largest health care provider and private employer, with 66,000 employees, 23 hospitals, more than 650 outpatient facilities and nearly 15,000 affiliated physicians.