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A Brief History of Greater Peterborough Health Services Foundation (GPHSF)

2025 marks the 40th anniversary of Greater Peterborough Health Services Foundation (GPHSF) serving Peterborough City, County, Curve Lake and Hiawatha First Nations. The Foundation has gone through several changes over the years but has always remained committed to supporting health care in our community and the evolving health needs of our area. This includes having many partnerships, including our long and valued relationship with the Peterborough Family Health Team. 2025 marks the 15th anniversary of our partnership with the Peterborough Family Health Team. 

With the 40th anniversary in mind, we wanted to take a moment to recognize this milestone and provide you with a brief history of the Foundation, a look at where we are at and where we are going.

Greater Peterborough Health Services Foundation (GPHSF), originally St. Joseph’s Care Foundation, has long and deep roots within the Peterborough community. It was originally part of St. Joseph’s Health Centre which was founded in 1890, based in East City, and one of the two hospitals in Peterborough for a long period of time. A foundation for the hospital was created in 1985 named St. Joseph’s General Hospital Foundation, which would become GPHSF. In the 1990’s a directive was given by the Province of Ontario’s Health Services Restructuring Commission to close the facility as a new centralized regional hospital was being planned. Once this directive was given, a plan was needed to decide what would be done with the remaining funds St. Joseph’s General Hospital Foundation had in trust. Part of the funds were directed to create St. Joseph’s Care Foundation in 1999, focused on patient care needs in our community. In 2005, the Foundation expanded its vision to support partnerships focused on bridging gaps in community-based health care. Not long after that it developed a partnership with the Peterborough Family Health Team (then known as Primary Health Care Services of Peterborough) in support of community-based healthcare services. The Foundation rebranded as Greater Peterborough Health Service Foundation, also known as GPHSF, Your Family Health Team Foundation.

The original focus of the Foundation, put in place by the Sisters of St. Joseph when it transitioned away St. Joseph’s Hospital in 1999, was to support senior care and healthy aging initiatives in the Peterborough area. This remains a focus of the Foundation and one of our core funds. However, the Foundations scope of support has expanded considerably to try to support many different community needs. This includes, but is not limited to, our seven core funds.

The Compassion Fund’s directive is to support patients in health equity, providing such resources as blood pressure cuffs for home readings, fresh food boxes, assisting with medical supplies not covered by OHIP, providing transportation to medical appointments, among other needs. This fund is accessed primarily by the clinicians of the Peterborough Family Health Team to better support their patients. To donate, click here.

2026 will mark the 10th anniversary of the creation of the Peterborough Butterfly Run. The Fund, and run, supports individuals and families who have experienced a loss during pregnancy, the loss of a child, or are unable to conceive. Funds raised are dedicated to creating support for these individuals and families through resources such as bereavement kits and lending libraries, bereavement retreats, and educational opportunities for local healthcare providers to better meet their patients needs. To donate, click here.

Our flagship fundraiser for Youth Mental Health is the annual Tebey Golf Classic, which will be celebrating it’s 10th anniversary in 2026, however donations come in year-round to support our community. Donations have supported the YES Shelter Homelessness Diversion program, safe transportation to in-person appointments and 211 Help Line. It has also supported Peterborough Youth Services Community Response Team, among many other services directed at supporting Youth in our community. To donate, click here.

Part of the original mandate of the Foundation when it was created by the Sisters of St. Joseph was to support Senior Care within the Peterborough community. Over the years we’ve been able to provide funding for equipment to assist with mobility issues, blood pressure monitors, oximeters and hearing amplified headsets, support INR Stroke Prevention clinics, Mental Health programming and continuing education for local physicians. We also established the Senior Care Micro Grant program, awarding $5000 grants to local organizations that support senior care and healthy aging needs. To donate, click here.

We actively support Concussion Education in our community, primarily through PACA (Peterborough Athletics Concussion Awareness), in conjunction with the Peterborough Family Health Team. The purpose is to increase awareness of concussions to Peterborough athletes in an effort to positively contribute to the Removal, Prevention, Management, and Recognition of concussions in sport. Many resources have been provided to athletes, coaches, parents and others involved in Youth sport to raise awareness and understand what to do if a concussion is suspected, including the Docu-Series Recognize, Remove, Manage, Prevent. 

The fund also helps make possible the H.O.P.E. Bursary in Honour of Steve Montador (more here). This bursary was established to support students transitioning from high school to college/university that are suffering the long-term effects of a sports-related concussion and require a reduced academic course load as result of injury. To donate, click here.

Established in 2013, the Dr. Steve Senior Memorial Fund for Continuing Education provides funding for educational events hosted by the Peterborough Family Health Team. Dr. Senior was passionate about providing continuing education opportunities for physicians and healthcare professionals in the Peterborough and surrounding area to help provide better care for their patients. To donate, click here.

As the name suggests, our General Fund allows us flexibility in addressing the health needs of our community. Money from this fund has purchased equipment for the Peterborough Family Health Team, along with supporting organizations such as the YWCA, Hospice Peterborough Suicide and Overdose Bereavement programming, New Canadian’s Centre Refugee Clinic, Partners In Pregnancy Clinic, just to name a few. A donation to our General Fund helps us respond to many different needs in our community as they arise or in an emergency. To donate, click here.

Much has changed in the 40 years since our Foundation was first established in 1985 as the Foundation for St. Joseph’s Hospital. However, our commitment to serving the residents of Peterborough City, County, Curve Lake and Hiawatha First Nations has not wavered. In fact, our commitment to this community is so total that our bylaws require us to only allocate funds to projects that support this community and organizations that work to benefit this community. Every dollar donated exclusively supports health care projects in our community.

If you’d like to find out more about our Foundation, our events and fundraisers, or donate to support our mission, Click the links, email our Executive Director Vince Bierworth Vince@GPHSF.ca or give us a call at 705 740 8074.
A long history...
A long history…
...and a bright future!
…and a bright future!