Representatives of Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center and the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area have announced the formation of a partnership that they say will expand community outreach and highlight the hospital’s lasting impact in the Niagara region.
The partnership, formally announced Tuesday by hospital CEO Joe Ruffolo and the heritage area’s Executive Director Sara Capen, will introduce new marketing initiatives and what was described as “fresh opportunities for public engagement.”
“Now, more than ever, it is critically important for organizations to remove barriers that act as silos and share resources to better serve the community,” Capen said. “Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center is an extraordinary asset with a rich history of high-quality health care within the City of Niagara Falls and serves as the only full service hospital in Niagara County.”
Ruffolo said hospital representatives have “strong appreciation” for the work the heritage area has done over the past 15 years.
“Their ability to tell meaningful stories and connect with the community made them a natural partner as we look to share the history and impact of our hospital and satellite offices. We’re looking forward to what we can accomplish together,” Ruffolo said.
Both organizations are among a group of local entities that previously benefited from a share of casino revenue delivered to the City of Niagara Falls under state legislation known as 99h that expired on Dec. 31, 2023, the same date New York’s gaming compact with the Seneca Nation of Indians ended.
The state and the Senecas continue to negotiate the terms of compact renewal.
State Sen. Minority Leader Rob Ortt, R-North Tonawanda, and state Assemblyman Angelo Morinello, R-Niagara Falls, announced last month plans to push for renewal of 99h as well. The side agreement provided percentages of the city’s share of casino revenue for the hospital, the heritage area, the Niagara Falls School District and Destination Niagara, the county’s lead tourism agency.
Representatives of those entities had hoped to receive a portion of the city’s casino revenue absent a formalized agreement, however, Mayor Robert Restaino has made it clear that the city is under no legal obligation to share its portion of gaming revenue. He previously noted that the money the city gets is already obligated for the city’s own needs, including services such as road repair.
Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center was founded in 1895 and serves as the city’s primary health care facility, offering inpatient services that include a cardiac/stroke unit, a medical–surgical unit, an intensive care unit, a Labor and delivery unit, and an adult inpatient psychiatry unit, the only one of its kind in Niagara County. Memorial also serves as a center for community health by operating five primary care centers, a large outpatient adult mental health clinic, a health home and several community-based services.
Designated by Congress in 2008, the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area is one of 62 such heritage areas in the United States. The organization’s mission is to preserve, protect and promote the historic, natural and cultural resources of the area stretching from Niagara Falls to Old Fort Niagara in Youngstown. Capen and members of her staff are involved in the operation of the Niagara Falls Underground Heritage Center in the city’s North End and have helped facilitate more than 40 public art projects in the city.
“Ever-changing environments and policies will inevitably create challenges for the hospital,” Capen said. “It is vital that stakeholders and community leaders act to ensure that Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center remains open and continues to provide consistent, reliable health care to the communities of Niagara. NFNHA is looking forward to growing resources and partnerships for Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center.”