Visiting Nurse Home & Hospice, a cornerstone of public health in Rhode Island, is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. The non-profit, which began with just four nurses in Newport, has grown into a statewide organization with more than 200 employees, providing skilled nursing, rehabilitation and hospice care to thousands of patients annually.
The organization’s journey began on Nov. 15, 1950, when five civic-minded residents — Rita Kane, Patrick O’Neill-Hayes, Dean Lewis, Ann Leys and Helen McLeish — formed the Newport Public Health Nursing Association. They saw a need to unify six independent health agencies that were duplicating services and driving up costs.
With a modest budget of $5,520 and a donated car from the Lion’s Club, the association, led by director Mary Kennedy, made 4,080 visits in its first year. The agency quickly became integral to the community, helping to test for tuberculosis and running large-scale polio vaccine clinics. Over the years, it has continued to adapt to public health challenges, from treating homebound patients to administering COVID-19 vaccines, always remaining open.
The agency’s name and locations have changed several times to reflect its growth. It became Visiting Nurse Services in 1962, then Visiting Nurse Services of Newport and Bristol Counties, before adopting its current name, Visiting Nurse Home & Hospice, in 2016. In 2023, the organization sold its large facility in Portsmouth and now operates from offices in Middletown and North Kingstown.
Today, the organization serves patients in homes and residential settings across the state. Last year alone, the team admitted 4,470 patients and completed 89,386 home visits. In addition to in-home care, it operates 26 monthly senior citizen wellness clinics, annual flu clinics and a maternal-child health home visiting program.
“Our 75-year history tells a story of caring for this community, every day, for all who need us,” said CEO Jennifer Fairbank, who leads the organization that has been woman-led since its founding.
To commemorate this milestone, the public is invited to a celebration dinner at the Ocean Cliff Hotel in Newport on Wednesday, Sept. 24, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased on the organization’s website or by calling 401-682-2100.
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