The Cedars is proud to announce that we have received the Designation of Excellence in Person-Centered Long-Term Care from the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing at NYU. The Cedars is among the first in the country to receive this distinguished designation. This honor is a powerful reflection of the compassion, commitment, and excellence our staff brings to their work every single day. It recognizes not only the quality of care we provide, but the heart and humanity behind it. Learn More...
We’re thrilled to share The Cedars 2025 Philanthropy Report – a celebration of the incredible impact our donors made possible. 🌟 Discover how your generosity transformed the lives of Maine’s older adults from May 1, 2024, to April 30, 2025. This year’s report highlights powerful stories of progress in clinical excellence, workforce development, and person-centered programs – all thanks to your support. This report is our heartfelt tribute to the families, individuals, corporations, and foundations who stood with us. Your compassion is shaping a brighter, more dignified future for aging in Maine. 👉 View the 2025 Philanthropy Report Need help accessing the report or prefer a printed copy? Contact Tracy Ericson, Associate Director of Development, at tericson@thecedarsportland.org or 207.221.7007. Thank you for being part of this journey!...
Posted in our blog on by Tracy& filed under Giving.
The Cedars is proud to announce it has been selected to receive the John A. Hartford Foundation Support for Diagnostic Excellence-Age Friendly Health Systems Seed Grant, awarded by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. The Cedars will receive a grant of $75,000 to fund the project titled “Integrating Age-Friendly and Diagnostic Excellence: A Strategic Approach to Reducing SNR Rehospitalizations.” This innovative initiative aims to reduce 30-day unplanned rehospitalization rates among high-risk skilled nursing facility (SNF) patients by implementing a comprehensive rehospitalization prevention program that integrates two evidence-based frameworks: the Age-Friendly Health Systems 4Ms and principles of diagnostic excellence. The project will focus on three key strategies: early risk identification, culturally responsive interventions, and the application of structured evidence-based practices to address social determinants of health. By combining these strategies, the program seeks to create a more effective system for preventing unnecessary rehospitalizations, all while maintaining patient-centered care. This holistic approach...
Posted in our blog on by Tracy& filed under Giving.
If you are 73 or older, we invite you to consider making a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) to The Cedars. By doing so, you can fulfill your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) while also supporting our mission and enhancing the lives of older adults. Your donation will help us continue our vital work and make a positive impact in our community. What is an RMD? An RMD is the minimum amount you must withdraw from your tax-deferred retirement accounts, such as traditional IRAs, each year once you reach a certain age. For 2024, the age at which you must start taking RMDs is 73. Benefits of Donating Your RMD: Tax Benefits:You can potentially lower your tax bill by excluding a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from your taxable income. Donating up to $105,000 directly from your IRA to a qualified nonprofit organization such as The Cedars can satisfy your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD)...
The Cedars is delighted to announce that The Lunder Foundation – Peter and Paula Lunder Family has awarded a $500,000 grant toward The Cedars’ memory support programs serving older adults in Maine. In recognition of this gift, The Cedars will name the “Lunder Memory Care Household” for assisted living on the first floor of the newly constructed Sam L. Cohen Households, which will officially open in March 2021. The gift will create a permanent endowment to support the development and operation of the “Lunder Memory Support Programs” serving residents of The Cedars. Richard Borts, Chair of the Board of Trustees of The Cedars, remarked that “This wonderful investment from Paula and Peter Lunder and The Lunder Foundation is an affirmation of The Cedars’ leadership work in caring for the most vulnerable among us, and a direct result of creating the first Household Model in Maine and Northern New England serving...
At The Cedars, we learned early on that changes in the way healthcare is delivered during this pandemic needed to be immediately adopted to protect our staff and those we care for. Having closed our community to non-essential healthcare providers and limiting physician appointments to those deemed a medical necessity, The Cedars needed to find ways to continue to provide ongoing medical care and connection to outside care providers. In our efforts to reinvent our healthcare services, telehealth emerged as one of the major tools to deliver clinical services via telecommunications technology. Through our Telehealth Program, staff is able to easily coordinate medical care for our patients and residents with primary care and specialty physicians, clinics and services. Additionally, telehealth has been utilized for interdisciplinary team meetings. This program has assisted in maintaining continuity of healthcare to our patients and residents, avoiding additional negative consequences from delayed preventive, chronic...
Posted in our blog on by Tracy& filed under Giving.
If you have a will or living trust, you have taken a major step in seeing to it that your property passes in an orderly, cost-effective way. However, these measures are only effective after you have passed away. It is vitally important that you also plan for those times you are incapable (or unwilling) to make decisions affecting your personal finances or health. A Durable Power of Attorney for finances gives another individual the authority to conduct financial transactions on your behalf. The power can be as broad or as narrow as you specify. It can also take effect immediately or be “springing” – taking effect in the future when health concerns merit it. The selection of the person given control over your finances is exceptionally important because all of your assets are literally at risk. Changes to powers of attorney can always be made so long as you...
In honor of Sam’s legacy, the Sam L. Cohen Foundation has made its largest gift ever—$1.5 million—to support building a brand-new Healthcare Center at The Cedars that will provide truly person-centered care. “Sam L. Cohen was, first and foremost, a people person. When the Foundation was first established, we researched the gifts Sam had made during his life,” explains Jeff Nathanson, President of the Sam L. Cohen Foundation. “Sam wasn’t here to tell us what he wanted and we hoped to discover what inspired his legendary, lifelong giving to guide us in our grant making. It quickly became very clear to us that Sam didn’t give to organizations or ideas. Sam gave to people.” SAM L. COHEN WAS THE LIFE OF the Jewish community of Biddeford, Maine. He was also its heart. More than ten years after his passing, his gregarious personality—and his generous philanthropy—remain legendary. The Sam L....
Posted in our blog on by Tracy& filed under Giving.
By Dan Hoebeke, Charitable Gift Planner Over the years, one question I have been asked frequently is whether a will needs to be renewed. The answer, though simple, leads to other questions. Once a will has been properly executed, it never technically expires. However, our individual circumstances and goals change over time. For that reason, wills should be reviewed periodically. If you answer “yes” to any of the following questions, you should take a fresh look at your will (or living trust). Have you moved to another state? Has an immediate family member died or become incapacitated? Have there been major life events among the people named in your will, such as marriage or divorce? Have you changed jobs or retired? Are all of your children now adults? Are the people given jobs in your will or trust still the best choice to perform those functions? Are there any...
Posted in our blog on by Tracy& filed under Giving.
You can do more than you ever thought possible. Planning your estate allows you to both fulfill obligations and make gifts. It’s called sequential planning. Many people begin by considering their obligations—commitments we have made to care for a spouse, children or other loved ones. Those are listed in your will or trust first. Astonishingly, our assets often allow those obligations to be met with money left over. Once that happens, everything we do with our property is really a gift. This is where The Cedars and other favorite charities come in. Your planned gift to The Cedars helps to provide the long-range stability that is simply not possible through annual giving. – Daniel Hoebeke, J.D., Charitable Gift Planner For more information on planned giving opportunities, please the Development Office at 207-221-7007 or...
The Cedars is proud to announce that we have received the Designation of Excellence in Person-Centered Long-Term Care from the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing at NYU. The Cedars is among the first in the country to receive this distinguished designation. This honor is a powerful reflection of the compassion, commitment, and excellence our staff brings to their work every single day. It recognizes not only the quality of care we provide, but the heart and humanity behind it. Learn More...
We’re thrilled to share The Cedars 2025 Philanthropy Report – a celebration of the incredible impact our donors made possible. 🌟 Discover how your generosity transformed the lives of Maine’s older adults from May 1, 2024, to April 30, 2025. This year’s report highlights powerful stories of progress in clinical excellence, workforce development, and person-centered programs – all thanks to your support. This report is our heartfelt tribute to the families, individuals, corporations, and foundations who stood with us. Your compassion is shaping a brighter, more dignified future for aging in Maine. 👉 View the 2025 Philanthropy Report Need help accessing the report or prefer a printed copy? Contact Tracy Ericson, Associate Director of Development, at tericson@thecedarsportland.org or 207.221.7007. Thank you for being part of this journey!...
The Cedars is proud to announce it has been selected to receive the John A. Hartford Foundation Support for Diagnostic Excellence-Age Friendly Health Systems Seed Grant, awarded by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. The Cedars will receive a grant of $75,000 to fund the project titled “Integrating Age-Friendly and Diagnostic Excellence: A Strategic Approach to Reducing SNR Rehospitalizations.” This innovative initiative aims to reduce 30-day unplanned rehospitalization rates among high-risk skilled nursing facility (SNF) patients by implementing a comprehensive rehospitalization prevention program that integrates two evidence-based frameworks: the Age-Friendly Health Systems 4Ms and principles of diagnostic excellence. The project will focus on three key strategies: early risk identification, culturally responsive interventions, and the application of structured evidence-based practices to address social determinants of health. By combining these strategies, the program seeks to create a more effective system for preventing unnecessary rehospitalizations, all while maintaining patient-centered care. This holistic approach...
If you are 73 or older, we invite you to consider making a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) to The Cedars. By doing so, you can fulfill your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) while also supporting our mission and enhancing the lives of older adults. Your donation will help us continue our vital work and make a positive impact in our community. What is an RMD? An RMD is the minimum amount you must withdraw from your tax-deferred retirement accounts, such as traditional IRAs, each year once you reach a certain age. For 2024, the age at which you must start taking RMDs is 73. Benefits of Donating Your RMD: Tax Benefits:You can potentially lower your tax bill by excluding a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from your taxable income. Donating up to $105,000 directly from your IRA to a qualified nonprofit organization such as The Cedars can satisfy your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD)...
The Cedars is delighted to announce that The Lunder Foundation – Peter and Paula Lunder Family has awarded a $500,000 grant toward The Cedars’ memory support programs serving older adults in Maine. In recognition of this gift, The Cedars will name the “Lunder Memory Care Household” for assisted living on the first floor of the newly constructed Sam L. Cohen Households, which will officially open in March 2021. The gift will create a permanent endowment to support the development and operation of the “Lunder Memory Support Programs” serving residents of The Cedars. Richard Borts, Chair of the Board of Trustees of The Cedars, remarked that “This wonderful investment from Paula and Peter Lunder and The Lunder Foundation is an affirmation of The Cedars’ leadership work in caring for the most vulnerable among us, and a direct result of creating the first Household Model in Maine and Northern New England serving...
At The Cedars, we learned early on that changes in the way healthcare is delivered during this pandemic needed to be immediately adopted to protect our staff and those we care for. Having closed our community to non-essential healthcare providers and limiting physician appointments to those deemed a medical necessity, The Cedars needed to find ways to continue to provide ongoing medical care and connection to outside care providers. In our efforts to reinvent our healthcare services, telehealth emerged as one of the major tools to deliver clinical services via telecommunications technology. Through our Telehealth Program, staff is able to easily coordinate medical care for our patients and residents with primary care and specialty physicians, clinics and services. Additionally, telehealth has been utilized for interdisciplinary team meetings. This program has assisted in maintaining continuity of healthcare to our patients and residents, avoiding additional negative consequences from delayed preventive, chronic...
If you have a will or living trust, you have taken a major step in seeing to it that your property passes in an orderly, cost-effective way. However, these measures are only effective after you have passed away. It is vitally important that you also plan for those times you are incapable (or unwilling) to make decisions affecting your personal finances or health. A Durable Power of Attorney for finances gives another individual the authority to conduct financial transactions on your behalf. The power can be as broad or as narrow as you specify. It can also take effect immediately or be “springing” – taking effect in the future when health concerns merit it. The selection of the person given control over your finances is exceptionally important because all of your assets are literally at risk. Changes to powers of attorney can always be made so long as you...
In honor of Sam’s legacy, the Sam L. Cohen Foundation has made its largest gift ever—$1.5 million—to support building a brand-new Healthcare Center at The Cedars that will provide truly person-centered care. “Sam L. Cohen was, first and foremost, a people person. When the Foundation was first established, we researched the gifts Sam had made during his life,” explains Jeff Nathanson, President of the Sam L. Cohen Foundation. “Sam wasn’t here to tell us what he wanted and we hoped to discover what inspired his legendary, lifelong giving to guide us in our grant making. It quickly became very clear to us that Sam didn’t give to organizations or ideas. Sam gave to people.” SAM L. COHEN WAS THE LIFE OF the Jewish community of Biddeford, Maine. He was also its heart. More than ten years after his passing, his gregarious personality—and his generous philanthropy—remain legendary. The Sam L....
By Dan Hoebeke, Charitable Gift Planner Over the years, one question I have been asked frequently is whether a will needs to be renewed. The answer, though simple, leads to other questions. Once a will has been properly executed, it never technically expires. However, our individual circumstances and goals change over time. For that reason, wills should be reviewed periodically. If you answer “yes” to any of the following questions, you should take a fresh look at your will (or living trust). Have you moved to another state? Has an immediate family member died or become incapacitated? Have there been major life events among the people named in your will, such as marriage or divorce? Have you changed jobs or retired? Are all of your children now adults? Are the people given jobs in your will or trust still the best choice to perform those functions? Are there any...
You can do more than you ever thought possible. Planning your estate allows you to both fulfill obligations and make gifts. It’s called sequential planning. Many people begin by considering their obligations—commitments we have made to care for a spouse, children or other loved ones. Those are listed in your will or trust first. Astonishingly, our assets often allow those obligations to be met with money left over. Once that happens, everything we do with our property is really a gift. This is where The Cedars and other favorite charities come in. Your planned gift to The Cedars helps to provide the long-range stability that is simply not possible through annual giving. – Daniel Hoebeke, J.D., Charitable Gift Planner For more information on planned giving opportunities, please the Development Office at 207-221-7007 or...