Cornerstone VNA honors Amy Coombs, RN and FedPoint at annual Staff Appreciation Breakfast

Cornerstone VNA recently honored two exceptional award recipients during its annual Staff Appreciation Breakfast on Nov. 18, 2025, at The Oaks in Somersworth. Amy Coombs, RN, BSN, OMS, received the 2025 Florence Nightingale Award, and FedPoint was recognized with the 2025 Cornerstone Award.
 
The Florence Nightingale Award recognizes a nurse who exemplifies excellence in clinical practice, mentorship, leadership, and compassion. Amy Coombs has been part of Cornerstone VNA for eight years and is highly regarded for her clinical expertise, particularly as a certified ostomy nurse. She is also known for her extraordinary commitment to mentoring new nurses, frequently precepting new graduates and providing steady leadership during staffing challenges, including stepping in as a backup team manager over the past year.
 
“Amy embodies the very heart of nursing,” shared Senior Home Care Director Stacey Genest, MSN, RN, WCC. “Her skill, compassion, and unwavering presence inspire confidence in patients and colleagues alike. She leads with trust, and in doing so, empowers everyone around her.”
 
The next award presented at the event was the Cornerstone Award, which is given annually to an individual or organization in recognition of outstanding support and commitment to advancing the mission of Cornerstone VNA. The 2025 award was presented to FedPoint, which administers large-scale federal benefits programs and has been a long-time partner and supporter whose generosity and collaboration have had a lasting impact on the organization.
 
“FedPoint is honored to be recognized as this year’s Cornerstone Award recipient,” said FedPoint’s Director of Corporate Giving Brian Frankenfield, who accepted the award. “But more than the recognition itself, what truly matters is the partnership we’ve built and the care that Cornerstone VNA provides every single day to people who need it most. From funding caregiver training and bereavement spaces to supporting clinical technology and encouraging future nurses into the profession, it’s always felt less like ‘giving back’ and more like joining a mission we deeply believe in.”
 
“FedPoint has been an incredible partner since 2017,” said Jennifer Ufkin, RN, MSN, president/CEO of Cornerstone VNA. “Their generosity, trust, and collaboration have truly strengthened our ability to serve patients and families in the community. We are deeply grateful for their continued partnership.”
 
FedPoint is also represented on the Cornerstone VNA Board of Directors by Marilyn Staff, RN, director of Care Coordination, and collaborates with Cornerstone VNA through shared education and scholarship review efforts. Marilyn shared, “These contributions strengthen the foundation of care, provide resources where they are most needed, and remind us that generosity is a powerful force for change.”
 
Cornerstone VNA serves Strafford County and parts of Rockingham, Belknap, and Carroll Counties in New Hampshire, as well as York County in Maine. The organization provides award-winning care and support through five distinct programs: Home Care, Hospice Care, Palliative Care, Life Care – Private Duty, and Community Care. For over 112 years, Cornerstone VNA has been dedicated to helping people of all ages remain at home while facing the challenges of aging, recovery, chronic illness, or end-of-life care. To learn more, visit www.cornerstonevna.org or call 603-332-1133.