The Auxiliary at UCSF Medical Center at Mount Zion

History

The Auxiliary was founded on January 26, 1897 as a volunteer and philanthropic organization, serving as a major link between the hospital and the community. The founding 11 ladies actually functioned as the right hand of the board of directors for the hospital. The women were very active and spent long hours in the hospital doing work in the kitchen and visiting patients in the wards. The hospital linens were their particular charge and, besides mending, they would help with other tasks when needed. Not content with manual work, the women began to raise funds to build an annex to the hospital.

By 1918, the Auxiliary was busy in the hospital interviewing and admitting patients as wells as visiting patients, going on errands, writing letters for patients and helping with family needs. Some ladies volunteered at the San Bruno Settlement House and were instrumental in starting a clinic there.

During the war years, the Auxiliary was of great assistance to the hospital and the patients. While they curtailed some of their usual social activities and yearly fund-raising efforts, they filled the hours with soliciting funds within the hospital for the War Chest, the Red Cross and the United Service Organization. They also continued to provide insulin, allergy supplies and other services for patients in the outpatient department for those who could not provide their own. In 1944, almost 2,000 hours of service were given to patients by the Auxiliary.

The post-war years saw the Auxiliary return to their regular fund-raising and helping in the hospital. Several of the volunteers worked directly with the School of Nursing until its close in 1962. Membership in the Auxiliary boomed after the war and by 1950 there were 600 members. By 1962, that number had tripled and they gave 44,000 hours of support. A new emphasis on the emotional health of the patients and their families resulted in a more hospitable climate, with volunteers running a coffee shop, gift shop and gift cart. Funds were directed into hospital patient care, equipment, research and other activities.

At the 1986 awards program, 300 volunteers were honored for their 70,000 hours in service. Some of these were 90 year old Pauline Goldsmith with 10,300 hours and David Newman with 12,400 hours. It is estimated that between 1951 and 1986 Mount Zion volunteers contributed over 2 million hours of service.

From the vision of the first 11 dedicated ladies, the Auxiliary has evolved to provide assistance for many patient programs at UCSF at Mount Zion. The Board of Directors consists of nearly 30 committed volunteers including doctors, cancer survivors, community and business leaders and is joined by countless community volunteers and donors in supporting such programs as: the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, special department requests in such areas as Pediatrics, Women’s Health, and Art for Recovery, patient resource centers, support groups, educational programs for patients and staff, transportation, supplies and specialized equipment, patient accommodations, wish granting for pediatric radiation oncology, and gifts to patients and families in need.