By AlaskaWatchman.com

The Mat-Su Health Foundation, one of the most powerful and well-funded organizations in the Mat-Su, will hold its annual members-only meeting on Monday, June 12. This provides a chance for members to address concerns and controversies that have come to light over the past couple of years.

The last day to RSVP for the meeting is today, May 26. Click here to sign up.

In recent years, the Foundation has been mired in controversy for pushing far-left leaning causes and projects that are rooted in critical race theory and LGBTQ political ideology.

With hundreds of millions of dollars at its disposal, the foundation issues scores of targeted grants to local organizations. This money comes from a business arrangement between the foundation and the Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. In recent years the health foundation has ballooned its assets to almost a quarter of a billion dollars by capturing 35% of hospital profits.

By redistributing this wealth, the foundation wields tremendous power and influence over nonprofits and other institutions that rely on grant funding.

In recent years, however, prominent figures with former ties to the foundation have spoken out against the direction it has taken. Scott Johannes and Craig Thorn have served as chairman of the board for Mat-Su Health Foundation. Both men have also publicly noted that the organization has embraced a leftist ideology that increasingly focuses on divisive social issues rather than improving the health of Mat-Su residents.

To address these concerns, a growing number of Mat-Su conservatives have joined the foundation’s membership with the aim of reforming the organization. Membership is open to Mat-Su residents who are 18 or older. The simple application entails a $5 fee, which must be paid annually. The June 12 meeting will be held at 7 p.m., following a 6 p.m. dinner at the Mat-Su Health Foundation building in downtown Wasilla. Only members can attend.

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Mat-Su Health Foundation meeting is a chance to tackle its increasingly woke agenda

Joel Davidson
Joel is Editor-in-Chief of the Alaska Watchman. Joel is an award winning journalist and has been reporting for over 24 years, He is a proud father of 8 children, and lives in Palmer, Alaska.


11 Comments

  • Mary says:

    Sorry, but the hospital should not be making enough profit to allow them to donate to anyone. Donate, by lowering your costs to your patients.

  • Robin Minard says:

    As chief communications officer for the foundation I’m surprised to read, “In recent years, the Foundation has been mired in controversy for pushing far-left leaning causes and projects that are rooted in critical race theory and LGBTQ political ideology.” Our grantmaking supports a wide variety of organizations addressing many ways to improve the health and wellness of Mat-Su residents. As we’ve offered before, Joel, we’d be happy to meet with you to increase your understanding of our work. We urge you and your readers to review the searchable grants database on our website. So far in 2023 we have awarded grants totaling $5.1 million to organizations such as Christian Health Associates, Compassionate Directions, Valley Residential Services, Palmer Family Church of the Nazarene and Alaska Addiction Rehabilitation Services. We also awarded $2.1 million in scholarships to 423 Mat-Su residents pursuing education in health and human services.

    • Friend of Humanity says:

      With Elizabeth Ripley buddying up with Dr. Zink, it is hard to accept that the Mat-Su Health Foundation is looking to do good for anyone. I am sorry. When I saw articles of Zink and Ripley meeting with CDC to discuss the valley’s “vaccine hesitancy” and how to overcome it, they lost all of my support. I have only heard of two people that speak kindly about the foundation and a mix of responses about the hospital with more negative since the plandemic. Thank you Mr. Davidson for putting out this information.

    • Warren Keogh says:

      Thanks for your post Robin Minard. Of course, the multiple millions of dollars awarded annually in grants to worthy organizations and in scholarships to those seeking a health related education and careers go unmentioned. Sadly, it typifies the way the Alaska Watchman “reports” on any and all issues.

    • LJ says:

      I am curious as to why you accepted 15 million from MacKenzie Scott ,one of the worlds wealthiest women knowing she is an avid donor to groups that push abortion,LGBTQ politics,CRT, and much more radical environmentalism ! Oh, don’t let me forget the millions she donated to undermine religious freedoms.
      Oh, and 275 million to Planned Parenthood. I don’t believe for a second Mat-Su Health Foundation is about improving “health and wellness” to the Mat-Su residents !

  • B says:

    Liberal Redistribution of Your Money.
    MatSu Hospital is now one of the most expensive hospitals in the nation and all due to the siphoning off of 35% of bloated charges going to MatSu Health Foundation. The promise of selling Palmer Hospital to gain better and cheaper health care with a new hospital has turned out to be a major mistake.
    Follow the redistribution of your money and you will find the person behind it all, Elizabeth Ridley CEO MatSu Health Foundation. Mz Ripley is an East Coast, far left liberal who graduated from Yale, a
    notorious liberal, NO free speech Demorat Ivy League school. She has in the recent past espoused her support for BLM critical race BS by going so far as publishing her delusional White Supremacy liberal thoughts and by making a public apology to BLM rioters! Mz Ripley exclaimed that when she grew up she and her family were White supremacists and therefore All White people are White supremacist like her. (Anchorage Press, 3 June 2020, “A Call To Root Out Racism In Alaska and Across America” by Elizabeth Ripley. I take umbrage at her false, outlandish broad paint brush statements. We are not like her and did not grow up in the racist rich suburbs of the Maryland Beltway. We have nothing to repent for. Again follow the money and see where she redistributes the ill gotten money. Backing homosexual freak show child grooming and children being physically mutilated, BLM ? Make grant information accessible to the public. Contrary to Elizabeth’s proclamations we are a sound, sane and God centered society. ALL LIVES MATTER! Quit the race baiting. As an aside we would like to know her complete compensation packages as well as all of the executives and staff at MatSu Health Foundation. Make your voices heard. Take back our country!