For decades, Kaiser Permanente has been synonymous with care, compassion, and community leadership across San Diego County. As one of San Diego County’s largest and most trusted health care providers, Kaiser Permanente’s partnership with the USS Midway Museum represents a powerful alignment of missions: honoring service, celebrating veterans, and strengthening the health and spirit of our community.
Midway’s very first corporate partner, Kaiser Permanente is now in its 23rd consecutive year of uninterrupted support. Before Midway tied up to Navy Pier in 2004 as a naval ship museum, Kaiser offered to advance multiple years of partnership fees up front to help kickstart the museum’s early financial success. Today, components of its partnership help underwrite several key museum initiatives, including Midway’s “No Child Left Ashore” elementary and middle school STEM field trip education initiatives, naming rights to one of the museum’s classrooms, exclusive presenting sponsorship of Midway’s sick bay and battle dressing station exhibits, and Captain-level sponsorship of Midway’s annual American Patriot Award Gala. Kaiser is also a supporting sponsor of Midway’s public-facing veteran-themed special events, including the San Diego Veteran’s Day Parade, an event coordinated by Midway.
“At Kaiser Permanente, we’re honored to support the Midway Museum and its incredible work bringing history to life,” said Rodger Dougherty, senior director of communications and public relations. “The museum does such a meaningful job of educating young people while paying tribute to the veterans whose service and sacrifice shaped our nation. Partnering with the Midway is our way of helping keep those stories — and those lessons of courage and teamwork — alive for school-aged students and adults alike.”
Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to veterans extends far beyond its partnership with the museum. The organization has a long-standing history of serving military families and veterans through specialized health services, mental health care and community outreach. Its clinicians and staff regularly volunteer in programs supporting transitioning servicemembers and participate in events that bring together veterans from all generations. Through its collaboration with Midway, Kaiser Permanente continues to amplify these efforts, ensuring that the region’s heroes receive the recognition and support they deserve.
This partnership also carries a remarkable historical connection. Kaiser Permanente’s origins trace back to the legendary Kaiser Shipyards of World War II, where Henry J. Kaiser pioneered industrial shipbuilding and created a groundbreaking health care program for his workers—one that would evolve into today’s Kaiser Permanente. The same steel, grit and innovation that defined those shipyards are echoed in Midway. Built with American ingenuity and a sense of urgency in an amazing 17 months during the Second World War, Midway came into service featuring the modular construction and standardized part mass production techniques Kaiser helped introduce.
“That shared lineage gives the partnership between Kaiser Permanente and Midway an especially meaningful resonance,” said Steve Miller, Midway’s director of strategic partnerships. “It’s not just a collaboration, it’s a reunion of two institutions whose stories were forged in the spirit of service to country and community.”
Today, Kaiser Permanente continues to play an essential role in the lives of San Diegans. With more than 630,000 members across the county, the organization leads with a mission to provide high-quality, affordable care and to improve the health of the communities it serves. Through its ongoing partnership with Midway, Kaiser Permanente honors its past while investing in the future by supporting a living symbol of American history and ensuring that the values of courage, innovation and compassion continue to inspire generations to come.
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