Supporting Care and Community at NEBH During COVID-19: The Kanters’ Story

A Legacy of Giving: Yvette and Jon's Commitment to New England Baptist Hospital

Every December for the past six years, grateful patients Yvette and Jon Kanter have made a leadership-level gift to the NEBH Annual Fund. Having both received outstanding orthopedic and cardiac care at New England Baptist Hospital, they have referred at least a dozen loved ones to NEBH as well.

"When COVID-19 reached Boston, we knew the hospitals were being stretched," says Yvette, who is also a member of the NEBH Rose Society and Philanthropy Committees, and a sponsor of the NEBH Gala in 2019. "We immediately asked ourselves, 'How can we help?'" Although they had already made their fiscal year 2020 gift, Yvette and Jon decided to make an additional gift to NEBH in April to support the hospital's efforts in the battle against COVID-19 across the region.

"My husband and I knew NEBH had to pivot quickly, and knowing the hospital's commitment to its patients, staff, and the Mission Hill community, we decided to make a gift that the NEBH leadership could use however they needed," says Yvette. "We wanted to be part of the solution and we trusted that they'd use our gift the right way."

Through her work with the Rose Society and Philanthropy Committee, Yvette learned of NEBH's ongoing work within Mission Hill to support local access to healthy food, crisis funding for working families, and youth programs, including a well-respected summer internship program for neighborhood teens. "NEBH is so humble; it has a community focus that a lot of people don't know about," says Yvette.

Ultimately, the Kanters hoped their additional gift would strengthen NEBH during an uncertain time and sustain its community efforts as the hospital returned to its usual operations, providing outstanding orthopedic care, as soon as it was safe to do so.

"People have said to me, NEBH just does orthopedic care — they don't save lives. But to that, I always say, 'I don't agree. You don't have a life if you can't move or are in pain; ask anyone who has been there. I know, as I was one of them, and NEBH gave me my life back."