05/27/2026
Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps Receives $150,000 Gift to Expand Community Paramedicine Program
Landmark donation from The Thursday Club will fund a new response vehicle and medical equipment, extending life-saving care directly into Ossining homes.
OSSINING, N.Y. — The Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps (OVAC) has received a $150,000 donation from The Thursday Club — a Westchester County philanthropic organization founded in 1921 — to support the expansion of its Community Paramedicine program. The funds represent the full proceeds of The Thursday Club’s April 30, 2026 fundraising benefit and will be directed toward the purchase of an additional response vehicle and advanced medical equipment.
Community Paramedicine is a proactive, patient-centered model of emergency medical care that dispatches trained paramedics directly to patients’ homes to evaluate, treat, and manage health conditions before they escalate into emergencies. By delivering high-quality care in the home setting, the program reduces unnecessary emergency room visits — freeing ambulances and hospital resources to respond where they are most critically needed.
The additional response vehicle made possible by this contribution will allow OVAC to serve a significantly greater number of Ossining residents, ensuring that more community members have access to this innovative and compassionate model of care.
“This extraordinary gift from The Thursday Club reflects a shared commitment to the health and well-being of every resident in our community. Community Paramedicine is changing lives — helping people remain safely at home, connected to the care they need — and this investment will allow us to reach even more of our neighbors.”
— Nick Franzoso, Director, Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps
The Thursday Club, headquartered in Irvington, New York, has been a cornerstone of Westchester County philanthropy for more than a century. Since its founding by a group of women committed to their community and to each other, the organization has contributed over $3.3 million to area nonprofits. The Club’s 2026 Benefit Treasurer, Cathy Hansen, expressed the organization’s admiration for OVAC’s forward-thinking healthcare model.
“We are so impressed with this healthcare model that is proactive and seeks to evaluate and treat patients in their homes whenever possible,” said Hansen. “The elimination of unnecessary trips to the emergency room benefits everyone as ambulances can be freed up to respond where they are truly needed. We are thrilled that the additional response vehicle and equipment will allow OVAC to serve even more members of the community.”
OVAC has served the Ossining community with emergency medical services for decades and continues to invest in programs that address the evolving health needs of the residents it serves. Community Paramedicine represents the leading edge of that mission — a proactive, evidence-based approach that improves patient outcomes while supporting a more sustainable emergency response system for the entire region.
About Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps
The Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps (OVAC) provides emergency and non-emergency medical services to the Ossining, New York community. OVAC is committed to delivering compassionate, high-quality pre-hospital care and innovative community health programs — including Community Paramedicine — that improve outcomes and quality of life for all residents.
About The Thursday Club
Founded in 1921, The Thursday Club is a philanthropic women’s organization based in Irvington, New York. The Club has contributed more than $3.3 million to Westchester County nonprofits over its 100-year history, supporting healthcare, education, and community well-being initiatives. P.O. Box 381, Irvington, New York 10533.
The Village of Ossining, New York The Town of Ossining, New York lohud News 12 Westchester Northwell Health
