Stamford Hospital in Stamford, Conn. has received the largest gift in its 120-year history, $50 million. The gift represents half of a $100 million charitable trust given from the estates of long-time Stamford resident Kingsley Gillespie and his son, Kenyon Gillespie. The Rotary Club of Stamford and The First Presbyterian Church of Stamford are among the trust’s other beneficiaries, each receiving 10 percent.
Organizations will receive income earned by the trust annually.
“The Gillespie family’s gift is truly inspirational and will impact the lives of hundreds of thousands of patients for generations to come,” said Brian G. Grissler, president and CEO of Stamford Health, in a release. “We are proud to be part of the Gillespie family legacy and will continue to work hard to bring the best care to our community.”
The eldest Gillespie was the publisher of The Advocate and Greenwich Times newspapers and owner of WSTC-AM, a Stamford radio station. Gillespie was active in his hometown, serving as a founding trustee and vice president of the Stamford Hospital Foundation as well as a member of the Rotary and parishioner of the church.
Kenyon Gillespie worked as a private investor and managed his inheritance with the intention of benefiting his father’s charities, according to the release.
The trust will enable the Rotary and church to support ongoing mission objectives such as the club’s Dictionary Project and annual scholarships. Additional trust beneficiaries include Setauket Presbyterian Church in Setauket, N.Y., The Long Island Museum of American Art, History & Carriages in Stony Brook, N.Y., and Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass.
