Giving Hearts Day falls on the second Thursday in February every year, and takes place on February 8 this year. Do you know that it has been 13 years since Giving Hearts Day was first observed? Giving Hearts Day is an opportunity to donate as much as possible to charity organizations and those in need. It is a great way to show compassion and help those that need our help.
In the 1960s, a group of doctors and community leaders came together to form a new hospital, and thus the Dakota Medical Foundation(D.M.F.) was born. In 1962, Dakota Hospital was founded with an initial budget of $1.8 million. The hospital had 76 beds and 11 doctors. Some of the treatments available in Dakota Hospital were kidney dialysis, joint replacement, open-heart surgery, and other treatments and facilities. The patient care provided at the hospital and the supportive, dedicated physicians were also some of the reasons behind Dakota Hospital being one of the most well-established medical centers ever.
In the 1990s, the Dakota Medical Foundation sold half of the hospital to a for-profit organization in Houston. After a few years, the other half was also sold to the same organization. In the early 2000s, charitable establishments were formed within the foundation. In 2005, the Dakota Medical Foundation founded Impact Foundation. The purpose of building this foundation was to provide a way to fund businesses and give loans to charity.
In 2008, the Dakota Medical Foundation and Impact Foundation created Giving Hearts Day, a flagship event to encourage people to give and donate as much as possible. Both foundations mobilized and secured more than $450,000 of area non-profits within 24 hours. Since then, Giving Hearts Day has been celebrated on the second Thursday of February every year as a day on which you donate to charitable organizations as much as possible and make a difference in the lives of millions.
