Northwell Health crosses $500M mark in fundraising campaign

New Hyde Park-based Northwell Health said Wednesday it is more than halfway to its goal of raising $1 billion to support capital improvements, clinical programs, research projects and teaching initiatives.

Northwell launched the fundraising effort in 2016. The health system said it had raised $21 million for its endowment program during the last weeks of December; it has raised a total of more than $522 million thus far.

Northwell added that it received pledges from 72,000 donors to date. Also, more than 5,000 Northwell employees combined to contribute more than $1 million last year.

The capital projects include a 314,704-square-foot Advanced Surgical Pavilion at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset. The project is expected to include 18 operating rooms, 44 ICU beds, a lobby at the Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital, and two levels of parking under the building. 

Northwell also plans to build a five-story employee parking garage and a new pavilion for private patient rooms at Southside Hospital in Bay Shore. The pavilion would include 90 private rooms, four operating rooms and 48 pre- and postoperative holding rooms.

The health system said it was working through zoning approvals on the projects.

Donations will also go toward building a new operating suite to expand pediatric surgical programs at Cohen Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park.