Starting January 1st, the National Kidney Foundation of Middle Tennessee will part ways with its parent organization. The local chapter is the latest to splinter from the national group.
The National Kidney Foundation is consolidating administrative functions in *New York City. Teresa Davidson runs the local chapter and says the push to streamline would give her far less autonomy.
“If we’d gone with the division model, 100% of our funds would have gone to the national office. Our board would have become an advisory board instead of a fiduciary board.”
The local board has voted to form a new, independent entity called the Tennessee Kidney Foundation. Davidson says the move guarantees that local funding will be used to help dialysis patients here instead of other parts of the country.
Chapters in Mississippi and Nebraska have also broken ties with National Kidney Foundation.
The National Kidney Foundation says it will start another chapter in Middle Tennessee. Davidson says there’s room for two.
“I think we can continue the work we’re doing because it’s not necessarily work they’re going to do.”
Davidson says she’s noticed the national focus drifting toward research, while her agency specializes in direct aid. Last year the group raised $650,000 and provided 350 dialysis patients with medication, transportation and utility bill assistance.
*A previous version incorrectly stated the Kidney Foundation is headquartered in Washington.
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