The Pharmacists Mutual Employee Foundation is an employee-funded and employee-managed charitable foundation. The Employee Foundation started in 1985 and, since that time, has contributed well over $300,000 to worthy causes in our local communities, as well as to the pharmacy community we serve. We prioritize building strong communities, supporting veteran programs, and supporting the markets we serve. Some of the charities we have supported include local and surrounding community schools and charities, Kossuth Regional Health Center, YMCA, Water's Edge Nature Center, and the local Performing Arts Center.
About the Employee Foundation
Employee Foundation Fund Drive
Since the Pharmacists Mutual Employee Foundation is 100% employee-funded, they hold an annual fund drive. This is one way for our employees to demonstrate our company core value of Citizenship by helping those in need. Each year the Foundation sets a stretch goal, and thanks to our employees, they typically meet or exceed the goal.
The Foundation also does some exciting recognition opportunities if employees meet certain pledge levels including, drawings for up to one week of PTO and a chance to join the sales team on their incentive trip.
Foundation Scholarships for Children of Employees
The Pharmacists Mutual Employee Foundation also offers a one-time $500 scholarship to every employee's child as they enter their first year of college. We also offer scholarships to graduate students in the fields of pharmacy or dentistry. This scholarship consists of $500 each year of enrollment in a Pharmacy Degree Program (years P1 to P4) or Dental Program.
Recent Donations
This is a Central Park Redevelopment Project and Splash Pad Campaign focused on city’s most prominent public park. Includes new splash pad, shelter house improvements, new shade area, perimeter walking path, landscaping and lights.
Pharmacists Mutual Employee Foundation presented a check in the amount of $5,500 to the Bancroft Fire Department. This donation will go towards the purchase of a new water tanker truck and jaws of life system. Pictured L to R: Lindsay Fuerstenau, Paige Baade (Foundation Board Members) and Brad Arndorfer (Bancroft Fire Chief)
Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Group together with the Pharmacists Mutual Employee Foundation, have pledged $50,000 towards the Carnegie Centre for the Arts project. Located in the heart of Algona, the 1904 Carnegie Library is being fully restored and repurposed to become a space to host art exhibits, receptions, and corporate events, as well as a small music venue. The pledges by Pharmacists Mutual will be used to create the outdoor stage. Pictured from L to R: Pharmacists Mutual Employees: Jodi Alt, Shirley Pierson, Laurie Harms, and Lindsey Fuerstenau. Carnegie Centre for the Arts representative (center): Brian Buscher.
Pictured from L to R; Foundation Board members Paige Baade and Lindsay Fuerstenau. They are holding an example of the Pharmacists Mutual Employee Foundation teddy bears donated for Project Hope.
The Kossuth and Palo Alto County Economic Development Corporation has been providing hope and relief for children, teens, and young adults who have been removed from their homes or are in need of assistance through their annual project called “Project Hope.” In July, several volunteers and business representatives will gather to put together gift baskets filled with personal hygiene items and a teddy bear with an ear tag that reads, “From the Pharmacists Mutual Employee Foundation”. Baskets are then delivered to the local departments and organizations working with people in need. Baskets are funded by local business donations.
The Pharmacists Mutual Employee Foundation donated $6,000 towards the Kossuth County Sheriff Department’s new K9. The new member of the Sheriff’s Department is coming from Poland and will be trained in detection and protection. K9’s provide a valuable service to our community. They help keep drugs off the streets and out of our children’s hands, they visit schools to help promote anti-drug messages, they help find missing individuals of all ages, and they protect their handler and our deputies who dedicate their lives to serve and protect our communities. The new K9 member will be a great asset not only for Kossuth County, but also Emmet and Palo Alto Counties as part of the MART (Mult Agency Response Team). Pictured L to R: Employee Foundation Board Members: Jodi Alt, Laurie Harms, Lindsay Fuerstenau, Paige Baade, and Rich Berke. Kossuth County Deputy Sheriff Mark McGregor and Kossuth County Sheriff Roger Fisher.
Pharmacists Mutual Employee Foundation delivered a check for $2,500 to the Chrome Restaurant’s Annual Stuff the Trailer Event which benefits the Kossuth County Food Pantry. Pictured L to R: Jodi Alt, Paige Baade, and Lindsay Fuerstenau (Foundation Board Members), and Cory and Amanda Weig (Chrome Restaurant owners)
Pharmacists Mutual is pleased to demonstrate our Citizenship core value by participating in the Algona Public Library campaign. The company provided a donation of $300,000 and our employees contributed $75,000 through the employee-funded foundation. We are proud to support this worthy cause in our community!
Citizenship was on display during “Project Hope” week in July. Personal care items were collected, bagged, and distributed to locations in the Algona area. The Pharmacists Mutual Foundation, funded by employees, donated teddy bears for the care packages. Pictured: Members of Pharmacists Mutual Foundation Board and intern students from Kossuth-Palo Alto County Economic Development Corp.
Pharmacists Mutual Employee Foundation presented a check in the amount of $5,000 to the Algona Police Department. This donation will go towards the purchase of patrol in-car transmission repeaters to aid in keeping our community safe. “Our department absolutely appreciates what the employees of Pharmacists Mutual have done for us, you are an amazing part of this community.” – Kendal Pals, Algona Chief of Police. Pictured L to R: Paige Baade and Lindsay Fuerstenau (Foundation Board Member), Kendall Pals (Chief of Police), Bo Miller (Assistant Chief of Police) and Steve Hoskins (Foundation Board Member and Sr. Vice President of PMC Advantage)
Donation Recipients
- Algona Fire Department
- Algona Rotary Club
- Algona YMCA
- American Institute for Historical Pharmacy
- Bancroft Fire Department
- Bloom Floral
- Boy Scouts
- Carnegie Center for the Arts
- Domestic/Sexual Assault Outreach Center
- Elderbridge Agency on Aging
- Exceptional Opportunities
- Horizons Unlimited
- Kossuth County Ag Museum
- Kossuth County Care Team
- Kossuth County Food Pantry
- Kossuth County General Assistance Fund
- Kossuth County Saddle Club
- Kossuth County Sheriff's Office
- Moving Veterans Forward
- NCPA DIR Legal Battle
- Patriot Service Dogs
- Project Hope
- Special Olympics of Iowa
- Students of Pharmacists Mutual Employees
- Winding Roads Lone Rock
Foundation History
The Pharmacists Mutual Employee Foundation officially began August 9, 1985, but the origin actually came from the actions of a committee, the "1984 Committee". The Pharmacists Mutual Board of Directors formed this committee in 1977 to begin planning for the company's upcoming 75th anniversary in 1984. The company has always had a philanthropic heart for our local communities and the businesses we serve. The committee, made up of employees, loved the idea of a Foundation to serve as the vehicle for ongoing charitable works.
The original Board of Directors for the Foundation were Kirk Hayes: President, Dick Thoreson: Vice President, Frank Gartland: Secretary, Ed Berg: Treasurer, Roger Ketchum, Ray Nielsen, and Rhonda Ostwald. The Foundation has been known by different names: Druggists Mutual Foundation, Pharmacists Mutual Foundation, and today it is known as Pharmacists Mutual Employee Foundation. From its very beginning, the Foundation has been funded and managed by the employees of Pharmacists Mutual, not the company. The latest name change is in recognition that this tradition continues today.
Funding for the Foundation comes entirely from contributions by the employees and directors of Pharmacists Mutual. The employees truly embrace the company's core value of "Citizenship" through their gifts to the Foundation. While giving is not required, typically 70-80% of Pharmacists Mutual's 300+ employees provide gifts on an annual basis. Through the generosity of these gifts, the Pharmacists Mutual Employee Foundation has provided over $300,000 in charitable gifts over the last five years alone! The Foundation is not run as an endowment and tries to provide gifting equal to contributions each year.
The Foundation has three primary charitable priorities within their Charitable Giving Policy that guides the Board in grant distribution decisions. Those three priorities are:
- Employee Communities: (Social services, health, education, and cultural organizations)
- Veteran Support: (PTSD support, healthcare outreach, job training)
- Core Markets: (Recovery programs, outreach, educational, and capital building projects)
While many requests are worthy of consideration, there are also program limitations that guide the Board. The Foundation is unable to support requests for individuals, labor and fraternal, religious, or political organizations.
Although the Foundation is the primary focus of Pharmacists Mutual's philanthropy, it has often partnered with Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company to make significant impact gifts such as Algona YMCA expansions, Algona Library Renovation, Performing Arts Center, and Carnegie Center for the Arts. Pharmacists Mutual also took the lead in establishing the Pharmacists Mutual Endowment Fund under the Kossuth County Community Foundation.
The Pharmacists Mutual Employee Foundation considers requests and provides grants continually basis as needs and opportunities arise. For more information, send inquiries to the Pharmacists Mutual Employees Foundation at Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company, foundation@phmic.com.
Employee Foundation Board of Directors
Damon Berkland
Jeff Crane
Jodi Alt
Kristi Lindhorst
Laurie Harms
Linda Thilges
Lindsay Fuerstenau
Paige Baade
Steve Hoskins
Tom Crouse
If you have any questions about the Employee Foundation or the contribution process, email foundation@phmic.com.