By the fall of 1873, it became apparent that there was a real need in the city for a general hospital and on October 29, 1873, the Charitable Aid and Hospital Association of Quincy was formed.

By May 19, 1875, the Association raised $12,000 and opened a 19-room hospital with space for 30 patients on a tract of land donated by prominent Quincy couple, Sarah and Mathias Denman.

While Blessing Hospital was establishing itself as a community hospital for the sick and the destitute, Quincy's first permanent hospital, St. Mary Hospital, was nearing its 10th year of operation.

The story of St. Mary Hospital begins in 1866 when the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor arrived after a request by the Rev. Herman Conrad Schaefermeyer, pastor of St. Boniface Church, to open a hospital in Quincy. The mission and goal of St. Mary Hospital was much like that of Blessing - to minister to the sick and the poor of the community.

The Sisters were inspired by the "healing ministry of Jesus," with the philosophy to see Christ in every person and treat each patient with compassion and dignity. By October 1867, their efforts to raise money and support for a hospital culminated in the opening of St. Mary Hospital, a 50-bed facility built on a plot of land located at 14th and Broadway sold by William Moore and C. Fischer for $17 per foot

Vision and Values of Blessing university

Our Vision
Blessing will be recognized as the regional leader in quality patient and family centered healthcare. In partnership with our patients, staff, students, volunteers, and physicians, we will create and support a culture of excellence and financial sustainability.

We will be recognized as the:

* Provider of choice for our patients.
* Employer of choice for our staff.
* Partner of choice for our physicians.
* Healthcare educational provider of choice.

Our Values
Quality: We seek to provide the best care, services and programs possible within the limits of available resources. We work to exceed the expectations of those we serve, compare our results to accepted standards and constantly improve.
Caring: We believe in holistic healing which means supporting the mind and spirit as well as the body. Our approach toward our patients, co-workers and other customers includes compassion, respect and following the Golden Rule.
Trust: We look to have positive inter-relationships with others distinguished by mutual respect, full communications, truthfulness and openness to diverse views. We use the power we hold in a judicious manner and expect the same of others.
Stewardship: We try to assure value and prudence in the consumption of resources. As a public trust we pursue the long term interests of the community by managing and investing wisely, developing financial security and maintaining assets we possess.
Participation: We are part of a larger universe concerned with the public's health and well-being. We seek cooperation, teamwork and partnership in meeting the region's needs, and encourage our employees to contribute positively toward the quality of life we all enjoy.
Contact Us
Blessing Hospital
Broadway @11th and 14th Streets
PO Box 7005
Quincy, IL 62305
(217) 223-1200