It was a tragic personal experience that fueled certified nurse midwife Vida Kent’s dedication for giving back to the Park Nicollet Foundation.

Vida Kent"Many years ago when my brother passed away, my family didn’t have money for a service to bury him. There is a foundation fund, Caring for Colleagues, that helps pay funds toward funeral service,” said Vida. “What the foundation has done in the community – and for our employees – it’s what started my interest in giving to the foundation.”

Vida has given ever since. Along with her own experience, Vida has seen donations make a difference many times in her 20-plus years.

“Having worked for Park Nicollet as long as I have, I see the result of what can be done within our system,” said Vida. “I know that Park Nicollet and HealthPartners do a lot with underserved populations, and that’s really important to me.”

A mission worth supporting

Vida’s donations support the Park Nicollet Foundation as well as numerous community programs, advancing the organization’s mission of supporting and serving those in need.

For Vida, that mission hits close to home.

“As a single parent, my marriage ended when my kids were small. A lot of people helped me with child care, collections and donations for my child care. I had a lot of support from many different people. I am determined that if I ‘have,’ I am going to give.”

Why she keeps giving

Vida often chooses to give to programs benefitting OB-GYN and women's health – a natural choice for the nurse midwife who refers to her colleagues at Park Nicollet Brookdale as “the greatest partners in the world.”

Vida has donated each year since her brother passed away, and she doesn’t plan to stop any time soon.

“If I didn’t give, I wouldn’t feel whole. I am a believer that much has been given to me, and much is required … because someone helped me get to where I am at.”

Donating to your passion

If you’d like to join Vida in giving, consider making a donation to a HealthPartners foundation. Your gift of any amount will make a difference in the lives of our patients, employees like Vida and community!

Please select from the foundations below to make your gift. Thank you.