Foundation

Mease Life Foundation

The Mease Life Foundation was established in 1984 as a separate not-for-profit organization. Its primary purpose is to provide assistance to resident members with a membership contract who outlive their financial resources to ensure that they will not have to leave Mease Life. The Foundation may also contribute funds for non-budgeted capital items that will benefit all Mease Life residents. One such expenditure was the recent gift of a balance machine to the Wellness Center.

The Foundation recently established a Resident-Supported Scholarship Fund to benefit Mease Life employees who wish to continue their education, whether in academic studies or technical accreditations. Our generous residents have provided all the contributions to this restricted fund, and this year the program was able to award scholarships to six outstanding employees.
The Foundation is under the guidance of a separate Board of Directors. Two of the Directors are appointed by the Residents Association Board, two are appointed by the Mease Life Board of Trust, and the fifth Director is a member of the outside community who is elected by the other four members.

Our Foundation Board members for 2022 are:

Mr. John Bate

President (Resident, appointed by the Residents Association Board)

Mr. Heinz Bertram

Vice President (Resident, appointed by the Residents Association Board)

Mr. Travis Finchum

Secretary/Treasurer (appointed by the Mease Life Board of Trustees)

Judee Bavaria

Director (appointed by the Mease Life Board of Trustees)

Mr. Bill Francisco

Director (appointed by the Mease Life Board of Trustees)

All contributions made to the Foundation are tax-deductible.
Some of the tangible ways that Mease Life Foundation supports the needs of our residents and staff include:
  • A resident assistance program was founded in 1984 to benefit IL Membership Residents annually who run out of funds through no fault of their own.
  • In 2018, the Mease Life Foundation purchased a $75,000 bus for the benefit of residents.
  • A scholarship fund for employees was established in 2018 and fully funded by residents in 2019 to further the education of our employees.
  • Memory care furniture reupholstery, replacement medical equipment and a Wellness Center Power Plate fitness machine were purchased in 2019.