Sheboygan-based property and casualty insurer Acuity is giving $2.5 million to support the construction of a new neonatal intensive care unit, pediatric unit and birthing center at the new hospital that Advocate Aurora Health is building in Kohler.
The gift is the largest single charitable contribution that Acuity has made. It’s also the greatest donation from any single source to Aurora.
“Acuity wants to not only support but empower Aurora to give our community the best possible medical care,” said Ben Salzmann, president and chief executive officer of Acuity. “We live here. We work here. We want to support our community, and we want to be sure everyone has the best place to go for care to help you and your loved ones.”
The gift will establish the Acuity Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the Acuity Pediatric Unit and the Acuity Birthing Center in the new Aurora Medical Center Sheboygan County. Construction on the new $324 million medical center and office building began earlier this summer.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the project was held this week.
When the new complex is completed, it will replace the health system’s existing Sheboygan Memorial Medical Center campus at 2629 N. 7th St. in Sheboygan. Advocate Aurora expects to open the new facilities in 2022.
“Acuity has been a strong and vocal champion of our new medical center and we are humbled and honored by Acuity’s generosity,” said Carrie Killoran, executive vice president with Advocate Aurora Health.
Acuity has made donations totaling nearly $4.6 million in recent years, including a $1 million contribution for the development of the Acuity Intensive Care and Intermediate Care Unit at HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital in Sheboygan, $125,000 to support an Emergency Medical Dispatch service in Sheboygan County, and previous donations of more than $880,000 to Aurora.
“We are blessed to have two hospitals in the area,” Salzmann said. “With Aurora building a new facility, we will be further blessed to have some of the most advanced medical technologies available.”
