One of Brooklyn’s oldest hospitals just got a shot of fresh life.
Officials at Sunset Park’s NYU Lutheran Medical Center touted a $25-million donation from the Bezos Family Foundation in a July 20 announcement that also revealed the medical center’s new name: NYU Langone Hospital–Brooklyn.
“This generous gift represents a major milestone in our institution’s history,” said Dr. Bret J. Rudy, the hospital’s executive director. “What our talented physicians, researchers, and staff will be able to accomplish will enable NYU Langone Hospital–Brooklyn to provide outstanding care for the community.”
The money from the foundation — which is largely funded by Amazon stock from its founders, the parents of the online retailer’s multi-billionaire chief Jeff Bezos — will be used toward improving infant care at the medical center and to fund programs for patients’ families that will increase their access to parenting groups, community-based health care programs, and early childhood care providers.
The hospital is on track to deliver about 4,500 babies and receive more than 600,000 visits to its nine family health centers annually by 2018, according to its top brass.
And while they were announced simultaneously, the donation and name change are not connected, according to a spokeswoman.
“It was just timing,” said Anna Kornilakis of NYU Langone Health. “We knew the name change was imminent, so we said to the foundation, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to make the announcements at the same time?’ and they agreed.”
The philanthropic organization has a long relationship with the university hospital, according to its founders, who said a past visit to the Sunset Park facility — which opened in 1883 to treat the area’s European immigrant population — inspired them to donate the hefty sum.
“When we first visited NYU Langone Hospital–Brooklyn, we realized why it has been a beacon for Sunset Park and the surrounding community for more than 100 years,” said Jackie Bezos.
Hospital officials applauded the gift, which they said would improve the lives of patients and their families across the borough.
“It is certain to have a substantial and beneficial impact for families in the Brooklyn community,” said Dr. Marc Gourevitch of NYU Langone Health.
