The Friends of Maria Fund honors Mary’s Center’s founder and former President and CEO Maria S. Gomez by furthering nursing education to build healthier communities.
Starting her career as a public health nurse, Maria saw the immense value nurses bring to the health of a community. She helped start Mary’s Center with a vision of providing healthcare and opportunities for our most underserved and saw qualified nurses as a foundation for offering quality care.
As a first-generation Latina immigrant, Maria also encountered barriers to achieving a nursing degree, from lack of mentorship and financial aid to juggling schoolwork with a full-time job. Despite these obstacles, Maria graduated knowing her career in nursing would not only help her family move up the economic ladder but also give her the tools to advocate for her community.
“I have always seen nurses as the nucleus of the health system. They are a vital link between doctor and patient and are trained to be direct service providers, administrators, advocates, and health educators. They have their hands in different activities while working toward one common goal – to provide exceptional, trusted care to our community.”
– Maria S. Gomez, RN, MPH
Through the Friends of Maria Fund, we seek to continue Maria’s legacy by creating the Maria S. Gomez Scholarship for Nursing, which will help Mary’s Center entry-level staff fulfill their aspirations of becoming a nurse and empower them to achieve economic stability.
We invite you to help honor Maria’s legacy by making a meaningful contribution to the Fund.
