L.L.Bean gift completes Mercy Hospital’s capital campaign

File Photo / William Hall Northern Light Mercy Hospital received a $1.2 million donation from Jerry and Pam Bruni to address the behavioral health crisis.

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By Jessica Hall

A $500,000 gift from outdoor retailer L.L.Bean helped Northern Light Mercy Hospital complete its $20 million fundraising goal to support its recent consolidation to an expanded healthcare campus along the Fore River Parkway in Portland.

The gift from Freeport-based L.L.Bean was the capstone that helped Mercy Hospital bring the five-year capital campaign to a close. More than 1,100 individuals, employees, foundations, corporations, and grateful patients joined L.L.Bean to help Mercy complete the largest capital campaign in the hospital’s 103-year history.

The successful conclusion of the capital campaign coincides with the final department move from Mercy’s State Street hospital. Last week, Mercy’s new emergency department opened at the Fore River campus, marking the official closure of the State Street hospital to patients.

The State Street hospital will be redeveloped into housing.

“This capital campaign was an outstanding community effort,” said Charlie Therrien, president of Mercy Hospital. “We’re thankful to L.L.Bean for their remarkable gift, and we’re deeply grateful to every single donor who made an investment, big and small, in the compassionate and high-quality care we provide to our patients.”

In spring 2020, Mercy broke ground on an $83.8 million consolidation project to enhance patient access to more medical services in one location.

Mercy’s Fore River Parkway campus expansion includes nearly 90,000 square feet of new construction, including an emergency department, additional private patient rooms, and the Lunder Building, which is now home to a new outpatient specialty and surgery center.

The project was funded by the capital campaign, proceeds from the sale of Mercy’s State Street property, and financing.

“Mercy is a vital healthcare resource where many of our employees live and work,” said Shawn Gorman, L.L.Bean’s executive chairman and great-grandson of Leon Leonwood Bean. “L.L.Bean is proud to support Mercy’s effort to increase access to care for everyone in our community and make the final gift to help complete their campaign.”