About Us
Our Mission: Better Health, Better Lives
Our Vision: Building a healthier Adirondacks—together—through the impact of connected giving.
Our Core Values:
Impact - We focus on meaningful giving that improves lives and strengthens care.
Connection - We bring people together to build a healthier Adirondacks; one relationship at a time.
Trust - We earn it through transparency, accountability, and respect.
Access - We champion care that reaches every person, in every community.
Inspiration - We believe generosity sparks change and we share the stories that prove it.
A Legacy of Giving:
The Philanthropic Roots of Adirondack Health
Philanthropy isn’t just a part of Adirondack Health’s story, it’s the foundation. From the very beginning, the generosity of individuals, families, and the broader community has built, sustained, and expanded healthcare across the Adirondack region. It is this spirit of giving that continues to define Adirondack Health today.
The story begins with Dr. Edward Livingston Trudeau, whose life and legacy transformed healthcare in the Adirondacks. After being diagnosed with tuberculosis, Dr. Trudeau sought healing in the mountain air of Saranac Lake. In 1884, he founded the Adirondack Cottage Sanitarium, fueled by donations and a deep commitment to treating patients with dignity and compassion. His work laid the foundation for a community united around the belief that quality care should be accessible to all—regardless of means.
That spirit of generosity carried forward into the founding of the General Hospital of Saranac Lake in 1911. Local citizens came together with a shared purpose: to build a hospital that would serve the region’s growing healthcare needs. Their dream became a reality on March 11, 1913, when Mr. Redfield Proctor and Miss Emily Dutton Proctor presented the hospital to the people of Saranac Lake. The original facility opened with twelve beds—small in size, but enormous in significance. This hospital was, from the start, a gift from the community to itself.
As demand for care grew, philanthropy once again played a vital role. In the early 1960s, when the original Winona Avenue facility had outgrown its capacity, the Latour Fuel Company donated 25 acres of land on the shores of Lake Colby. There, a new hospital was constructed and dedicated in 1967. A transformative gift from Mr. Edmund Guggenheim helped complete the third floor the following year, ensuring space for future care.
In 1988, a new wave of philanthropic investment brought about major renovations—adding a modern Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, ambulatory surgery suite, and expanded Imaging and Pharmacy departments. Every improvement, every innovation, was made possible by those who believed in a stronger, healthier future for the Adirondacks.
To carry forward this legacy of generosity, the Adirondack Health Foundation—originally organized in 1997 as the AMC Foundation—was created to support and sustain philanthropic investment in our region’s healthcare. Renamed to reflect the full scope of the health system it supports, the Foundation partners with donors to fund capital projects, equipment, patient-centered programs, and essential services that might not otherwise be possible.
Whether it’s providing access to care, supporting caregivers, or strengthening rural health infrastructure, the Foundation ensures that every gift makes a lasting impact.
Today, we honor that legacy by continuing to invest in the future—because in the Adirondacks, health has always been a community effort.
