Catalina Island Health, its supporting Foundation and the annual Catalinaville fundraiser work together to strengthen healthcare for island residents and the millions of visitors who travel to Catalina each year.
For most visitors, Catalina Island is a place to relax, explore and enjoy life on the water. But for the more than one million people who visit the island each year—and the residents who call it home—having access to reliable healthcare is just as essential as ferry service, harbor facilities and emergency responders.
Behind that care is Catalina Island Health, the island’s nonprofit hospital that has served the community since 1960. Working alongside it is the Catalina Island Health Foundation, a separate nonprofit organization whose sole purpose is to ensure the hospital has the financial resources needed to continue providing quality healthcare and, ultimately, build a new replacement hospital.
While the two organizations share the same commitment to caring for the island, they each serve distinct roles.
“Catalina Island Health has been serving our island community and visitors since 1960,” said Gail Fornasiere, Director of Planned Giving & Community Engagement. “The Foundation was created in 1980 for the purpose of raising funds in support of expanding the hospital at the time and items of need, such as new beds and equipment.”
Fornasiere explained that the Foundation operates as its own 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, while Catalina Island Health functions independently as the island’s healthcare provider.
“The Foundation’s sole mission is to support quality healthcare on the island through funds and resources,” she said. “For the past decade, the Foundation’s focus has been to raise funds to construct a new hospital that meets California’s stringent seismic requirements.”
As plans for a replacement hospital continue to move forward, the Foundation’s fundraising efforts are expected to help cover capital costs associated with the project.
According to Fornasiere, the Foundation has played an important role in helping Catalina Island Health navigate the financial challenges that often accompany operating a small rural Critical Access Hospital.
“Working as the fundraising arm of Catalina Island Health, the Foundation has been a key component in keeping the doors open throughout years of ups and downs commonly faced by a small rural Critical Access Hospital,” she said. “The Foundation’s support for the well-being of residents and visitors is seen through the consistent care provided by Catalina Island Health.”
That mission is perhaps most visible through Catalinaville, the Foundation’s signature fundraising event, which has grown into one of Catalina Island’s most anticipated annual gatherings.
Now in its seventh year, the event combines fundraising with a relaxed island atmosphere inspired by Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritaville.” Guests enjoy hosted cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, live entertainment, silent and live auctions, updates on the replacement hospital project and an evening that concludes with a beachside dance party under the stars at Descanso Beach.
“Catalinaville is the fundraising event to attend on the island each year,” Fornasiere said. “It’s fun and laid back, with “Margaritaville” vibes.”
While the event has become known for its entertainment, its purpose remains focused on improving healthcare for the island community.
“All proceeds directly benefit the planning and construction of a new replacement hospital,” she said.
Last year’s event marked a milestone for the Foundation, raising more than $1 million — the highest amount ever generated by a nonprofit fundraiser on Catalina Island. Fornasiere said organizers hope to surpass that record this year.
Although tickets for this year’s event have already sold out, the Foundation continues to accept donations that will help support the hospital replacement project.
The Foundation’s impact extends well beyond Catalinaville.
Since its creation, the organization has helped fund numerous improvements to Catalina Island’s healthcare system. One of its earliest accomplishments came in 1982, when Foundation fundraising made possible an expansion of the hospital that added several patient rooms, long-term care rooms, a physical therapy room and a gathering space that continues to serve patients today.
Over the years, Foundation support has also helped purchase medical equipment and provide funding for other critical needs throughout the hospital.
In 2020, the Foundation also led the successful ballot initiative establishing a transportation tax and mooring rent tax to help fund construction of the replacement hospital, while continuing annual fundraising efforts to move the project forward.
For Fornasiere, however, the Foundation’s work is about much more than buildings and equipment.
She hopes those who attend Catalinaville — or simply learn more about the Foundation’s mission—leave with a greater appreciation for the role healthcare plays on Catalina Island.
“We will be sharing some amazing patient success stories and the latest updates on the new replacement hospital project,” she said. “We hope they leave inspired with a deeper connection to our island community and the compassionate care we provide.”
As Catalina Island continues to welcome visitors from across Southern California and beyond, the need for dependable healthcare remains constant. Through the ongoing partnership between Catalina Island Health and the Catalina Island Health Foundation, supporters are helping ensure that both residents and visitors will continue to have access to quality medical care for generations to come.