LECOM Contributes to the City of Erie

Mayor Joseph Sinnott and Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, President John M. Ferretti, D.O., jointly announced a major commitment from LECOM to the citizens of Erie.

 LECOM will make a voluntary contribution to help the City of Erie meet its fiscal needs. LECOM’s Board of Trustees, under the leadership of Dr. John Ferretti, and Trustee Chairman Michael Visnosky, Esq., has directed the college to provide $300,000 to the City as an unrestricted donation so that Erie may reduce some of the strain on areas that impact its citizens the most. It is the intent that these funds will be expended evenly over a three-year period.

 LECOM realized that like citizens of Erie, the College faces the loss of critical city services due to declining city revenues. The one-time grant is the College’s way of showing its commitment to Erie and its role as a good neighbor.

  “LECOM recognizes that as a rapidly growing institution, we have a major stake in seeing that our City maintains it services,” said Dr. Ferretti. “Erie is LECOM’s home and our commitment is to furthering the health of its citizens and that requires a fiscally healthy city for the College and our neighbors.”

 LECOM is the nation’s largest medical college with more than 1400 medical students, mostly connected with the Erie Campus. The School of Pharmacy has another 390 students and a Post-Baccalaureate medical and pharmacy program brings another 100 students into Erie. The college creates more than $60 million dollars annually in economic benefit to the community.

  “We want to take the lead among non-profit institutions in Erie to make a commitment toward reducing the financial strain on the City”, Attorney Visnosky explained. “LECOM is joining with the Mayor to start a new page in Erie history that we hope will lead to economic recovery.”

 Mayor Sinnott noted, “Several non-profit organizations are currently contributing to the City of Erie, under an existing payment in lieu of taxes agreement, but we must continue discussions with others to try to solicit their support for the city in this time of fiscal crisis.”

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