Alaska

Welcome to Alaska's 2024 Annual Report

The Sisters of Providence arrived in Nome, Alaska, on June 10, 1902, responding to a plea to bring health care to the community. They faced challenges, including a three-day quarantine on a boat due to a smallpox outbreak.

The biggest challenge was establishing and operating Nome’s first hospital and raising the necessary funds to keep it open. The people of Nome welcomed the Sisters warmly, organizing fundraisers and offering gifts such as mining claims, fur pelts and even a cow. Together, the community and the Sisters ensured access to care, regardless of ability to pay.

Though much has changed in 123 years, we still value community partnerships that enable Providence to bring care to those who need it most. In 2024, Providence worked with Volunteers of America (VOA) to help young people experiencing homelessness and supported Seward Area Hospice to ensure the community had access to hospice care. Our commitment extended to Kodiak Women's Resource and Crisis Center, which offers care to victims of domestic and sexual violence.

These stories, and many more, are possible because community partners and Providence work together to provide care. While modern support no longer includes gifts like mining leases or farm animals, it remains critical to achieving our vision of health for a better world.

Thank you for helping us continue to care for all, especially the poor and vulnerable.

Ella Goss, MSN, RN, chief executive
Providence Alaska