Carin & Roger Ehrenberg Continue Foundational Support for the Human Dimension Program at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine with $3 Million Gift

Nutley, NJ – November 20, 2024 – Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation is pleased to announce a $3 million leadership gift from Carin and Roger Ehrenberg to support the Human Dimension program at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine.

The Human Dimension program is foundational to the curriculum and connects students with people in the community to understand the social determinants of health (SDOH) that greatly impact health outcomes.

“The Human Dimension program is the cornerstone of the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine’s innovative curriculum and prepares the next generation of physicians to excel in a new state of healthcare,’’ said Robert C. Garrett, FACHE, CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health. “We are deeply grateful for the continued support of Roger and Carin Ehrenberg which helps us reach our goals to expand access to care and build healthier communities. 

By interacting with underserved people throughout the entirety of their education, medical students gain a greater understanding of financial and housing instability and other socio-economic challenges that greatly impact health.

Since the launch of the school in 2018, 590 students have cared for nearly 600 families in nine communities across five counties. Students have partnered with more than 200 community organizations, have nearly 100 community health projects and have completed 278 individual capstone projects focused on creating health care solutions. 

“The Human Dimension program is the heart of the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine’s mission and ensures that our students embody humanism, cultural humility, leadership and a strong commitment to equity in their patient care,” said Jeffrey Boscamp, M.D., president and dean, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. “This program significantly impacts patient outcomes, and we thank the Ehrenbergs for their generous commitment. It will be instrumental in advancing our efforts to shape the next generation of esteemed physicians who bring excellence, empathy and advocacy into their practice while expanding access to care to those who need it most.”

In 2022, the Ehrenbergs donated $1 million as seed capital to support the Human Dimension program at the School of Medicine. With their support, the Human Dimension program has advanced to include new initiatives, including:

the continued development of the program and its impact by working to support the continuously-evolving curriculum to meet the needs of surrounding communities; 

the expansion of the program into Hackensack Meridian Health’s network programs including graduate medical training programs; 

representation in medical literature regarding community engaged medical education; 

the development of a new initiative entitled Support our Schools Mental Health Collaboratory in which public school leads from across the state work together to address the emotional health challenges facing our youth; and 

increased support for families and communities in need, including the provision of transportation for individuals to participate in the Human Dimension program or attend other important appointments through a partnership with Lyft, emergency assistance, community engagement on campus and in the community, and lastly, community education events. 

Graduates of the Human Dimension program bring a profound commitment to humanism and a deep understanding of the social determinants of health to the care of their patients. However, as they transition to residency, and as other residents from other medical schools join Hackensack Meridian Health, there can sometimes be a gap between the foundational values and priorities found in the clinical learning environment.  

With this remarkable $3 million gift from the Ehrenbergs, the School of Medicine will build upon its established foundation, expanding the Human Dimension program across all graduate medical education programs within the Hackensack Meridian Health network, strengthen foundational programs through ongoing improvements and innovation, enhance assessment methods with robust qualitative and quantitative data collection and continue to advance academic scholarship through academic papers and publications.

“True medical care must consider the whole individual, not just their symptoms, and recognize that there are many factors that significantly influence patient behaviors and outcomes,” said Roger and Carin Ehrenberg. “We have unwavering faith in the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine’s Human Dimension program, its dedicated leadership and its students, who integrate empathy and awareness of these determinants into daily patient care. The progress made so far demonstrates the incredible impact of this approach, and we are proud to support the expansion of the Human Dimension program into graduate medical education, ensuring its vital principles reach every level of training.”

“We are truly thankful to Roger and Carin for their unwavering support and compassion,” said Joyce P. Hendricks, president and chief development officer, Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation. “Their boundless support and continued faith in the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine curriculum, leadership, professors and students mean the world to us. They grasp the critical importance of expanding access to care and addressing the undeniable health care disparities that we face in New Jersey, and around the country. Thanks to their commitment, we can continue making significant strides toward establishing equitable health care for all. We are so grateful for their partnership in this vital mission.”

To learn more about how you can make a gift in support of Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, please contact Sheila Wolfinger, executive director, at sheila.wolfinger@hmhn.org or  visit GiveHMH.org/SchoolofMed. 

ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH

Hackensack Meridian Health is a leading not-for-profit health care organization that is the largest, most comprehensive and truly integrated health care network in New Jersey, offering a complete range of medical services, innovative research and life-enhancing care. The network has 18 hospitals and more than 500 patient care locations, which include ambulatory care centers, surgery centers, home health services, ambulance services, lifesaving air medical transportation, rehabilitation centers, urgent care centers, physician practice locations, and a fitness and wellness center. With more than 35,000 team members and 7,000 physicians, Hackensack Meridian Health is a distinguished leader in health care philanthropy and committed to the health and well-being of communities throughout New Jersey. 

The network’s notable distinctions include having the only #1 ranked adult and children's hospitals in New Jersey, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report, 2024-25. Hackensack University Medical Center is nationally-ranked by U.S. News & World Report in eight specialties. To learn more, visit www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org.  

ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH FOUNDATION

Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3), is the philanthropic division of Hackensack Meridian Health, a leading not-for-profit health care organization that is the largest, most comprehensive and truly integrated health care network in New Jersey, offering a complete range of medical services, innovative research and life-enhancing care. The foundation oversees fundraising for the network’s three academic medical centers, two children’s hospitals and seven community-based medical center foundations, as well as key initiatives, programs and services offered by Hackensack Meridian Health, including nursing support, behavioral health, children’s health, Hackensack Meridian Health’s Center for Discovery & Innovation and Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. 

Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation has been designated as both a High Performer Overall and Healthcare System High Performer by the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP) within their 2023 Report on Giving.

In September 2024, Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation publicly launched its Be The Difference campaign, a one billion dollar fundraising initiative built upon four pillars, each designed to support Hackensack Meridian Health’s vision for New Jersey, including better delivery of patient care; revolutionizing medical education and supporting the nursing profession; accelerating research and discovery; and ensuring more equitable access to advanced care. To learn more about the campaign, visit HMHBeTheDifference.org.

To make a gift in support of Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation, visit GiveHMH.org/Donate.

ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE  The Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, the first private medical school in New Jersey in more than 50 years, welcomed its first class of students in 2018 to its On3 campus in Nutley and Clifton. Hackensack Meridian Health assumed its independent operation in July 2020. The school achieved full accreditation in February 2023. The school’s vision is that each person in New Jersey, and in the United States, regardless of race or socioeconomic status, will enjoy the highest levels of wellness in an economically and behaviorally sustainable fashion. The School’s unique curriculum focuses on linking the basic science with clinical relevance, through an integrated curriculum in a team-oriented, collaborative environment. The school prides itself on outreach, through programs like the Human Dimension, which is active in communities across New Jersey.