Driven by Community Support: UNC Health Southeastern Foundation Funds New Ambulance for Regional Patient Care

By Heather Walters

Representatives from the UNC Health Southeastern Foundation Board of Trustees, UNC Health Southeastern Administration, and Emergency Department leadership gather with the hospital’s newly funded ambulance, made possible through the generosity of Foundation donors and community support.

Through the generosity of donors, the UNC Health Southeastern Foundation has funded the purchase of a new ambulance for UNC Health Southeastern, expanding the health system’s ability to deliver timely, specialized care across southeastern North Carolina.

As hospitals and emergency medical service agencies nationwide continue experiencing extended ambulance production delays caused by supply chain challenges, vehicle shortages, and rising demand, securing this unit represented an important and time sensitive opportunity for the organization.

The ambulance will help meet increasing transport needs related to emergency services, trauma transfers, and neonatal care while enhancing access, efficiency, and coordination throughout the region.

“This investment is about far more than a new vehicle,” said UNC Health Southeastern President and CEO Chris Ellington. “It reflects our commitment to ensuring patients can reach the right level of care as quickly and safely as possible. As UNC Health Southeastern continues pursuing Level III Trauma designation and expanding specialized services, transportation resources become increasingly important to that work. We are deeply grateful to the Foundation and the donors whose generosity made this possible. Now that the ambulance has arrived, our team will begin preparing and equipping it for service so it can begin supporting patients and families across our region.”

The addition also supports ongoing efforts to grow advanced services close to home for patients and families throughout southeastern North Carolina.

“Reliable transport is a critical part of patient care, every day,” said Brittany Strickland, director of Emergency Medicine at UNC Health Southeastern. “Whether responding to serious injuries or helping transfer newborns requiring higher levels of support, having the right equipment available strengthens our ability to care for people throughout our communities.”

Foundation leaders say the purchase demonstrates the meaningful impact philanthropy can have throughout the healthcare system.

“This reflects what is possible when people invest in local healthcare,” said Sissy Grantham, executive director of the UNC Health Southeastern Foundation. “Gifts from donors help provide resources that strengthen access to services, support clinical teams, and enhance care for patients and families across our region.”

Joe Williams, chair of the UNC Health Southeastern Foundation Board of Trustees, said the ambulance represents thoughtful planning, community partnership, and a shared vision for the future.

“Our Board recognized the importance of acting quickly on this opportunity,” Williams said. “This was an investment of more than $200,000 toward the purchase of the ambulance itself, made possible through donor support to the UNC Health Southeastern Foundation. We do not take that level of generosity lightly, and we are incredibly grateful to have donors who believe so strongly in the future of healthcare in our region. As the hospital now prepares and equips the ambulance for service, this investment will help strengthen regional healthcare access and support continued growth in specialized care across southeastern North Carolina.”

In addition to supporting trauma and neonatal transport needs, the ambulance will help the health system better manage rising patient volumes and increasing regional demand for specialized care.

Most importantly, the vehicle stands as a visible reminder of what can happen when a community comes together in support of its hospital.

Driven by community support, the ambulance will soon begin serving patients throughout southeastern North Carolina while carrying forward the generosity that helped place it on the road.

About the UNC Health Southeastern Foundation

The UNC Health Southeastern Foundation supports UNC Health Southeastern through philanthropy, partnerships, and community engagement, helping advance exceptional healthcare close to home for the people of southeastern North Carolina.

Heather Walters is the manager of Donor Experience & Engagement for the UNC Health Southeastern Foundation.