Closing Remarks #4

Welcome to another edition of Closing Remarks. The response to the newsletter has been fantastic so far, and definitely spurs me on to keep sharing the many facets of nonprofit /civil society endings with you all!

This week we're seeing hospitals and other groups that provide direct care facing multiple challenges to viability, financial woes driving abrupt ends in other sectors, and one delightfully well-planned exit.

1) Multiple Boston-area hospitals to shut down
Carney Hospital in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood and Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer will cease operations at the end of August. While their parent nonprofit, Steward Healthcare, cites financial hardship as the cause, the impending closures --- and the service gap they will leave in their wake -- have drawn much political scrutiny. A federal investigation is underway to hold Steward's feet to the fire.

2) NYC hospital given approval to begin shutdown
After more than a year of tussling between New York State's health regulators, hospital administration, and the downtown New York City community that would be most affected by it, the Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital has been given conditional approval to close. The proposed plan requires Beth Israel to work with the city and other local hospitals to increase capacity in light of the hole their absence will create.

3) UK charity providing care to carers is no more
After 25 years of existence, Essex-based charity South End Carers closed on Tuesday, July 30th, citing a lack of funds. The group provided much needed community and support to family members and other unpaid carers of the elderly and infirm. In closing, the group did their best to point their constituents to other similar support services.

4) Canadian environmental journal wraps up after 10 years
Hakai has been in operation since 2015, providing extensive coverage of issues related to coastlines and oceans in both Canada and further afield. In a statement announcing the journal's conclusion, their parent foundation Tula notes that funding challenges have caused them to completely cancel their science journalism efforts. The foundation will, however, continue on with research and direct action in its other two areas of focus --- climate change and women's health in Guatemala.

Hakai will publish its last issue at the end of the year.

20 years of beautiful, culturally-responsive work to support small children and their families draws down with the winding down of New Zealand charity Tākai. The group offered parenting resources and funding for community initiatives that reflected a strong focus on Maori language preservation/revitalization.

Tākai was just one of many casualties of recent Oranga Tamariki (New Zealand Ministry of Children)'s budget cuts. This, unfortunately, means that the group and their beautiful website will no longer be accessible after August 9th. Please do have a look before then if you can!

7) Ford Foundation Director Plans Departure
Darren Walker, director of one of the world's largest and most influential philanthropic foundations, has announced he will step down next year. Walker's time at Ford has been marked by a strong focus on inequality as well as increasing funding to the arts. In announcing his planned departure, Walker noted that he'd already been discussion of succession two years ago.

I, for one, am impressed by the time and consideration being given to this major transition! Bravo, y'all.

Closing Remarks is brought to you by The Wind Down, a consultancy for exploring, building, designing, and delivering better non-profit endings.