Baptist Health Foundation, in partnership with Birmingham, Ala.-based Baptist Health System, has donated over $350,000 to 38 healthcare organizations in 2023.
The foundation launched the Community Support Fund with Baptist Health System in 2022, according to a Dec. 11 news release shared with Becker's. The funds give charitable grants to established 501(c)3 nonprofits that provide healthcare or health-related services and operate within the foundation's four-county footprint: Jefferson, Shelby, Talladega and Walker. While not a requirement, faith-based programs are given priority, the release said.
Birmingham Metro Baptist Association's ReMedy program, which collects and refurbishes usable medical equipment to loan to people in need, is one of the fund recipients. "The Community Support Fund has provided a crucial lifeline for ReMedy by allowing us to embark on a major expansion," Christopher Crain, executive director of Birmingham Metro Baptist Association's ReMedy program, said in the release. "This expansion not only addresses an unmet need but also positions us to double our impact. With the support of the Baptist Health Foundation, we can prevent nearly $1 million worth of used medical equipment from ending up in landfills and extend a helping hand to those in need."
One hundred percent of the funds raised by the foundation, which operates freely from any hospital or healthcare organization, are used to provide financial support to qualified patients, continued medical professional education, employees in need of monetary aid, patient and family pastoral care, and community-based wellness programs.
The foundation plans to back more nonprofits in 2024 by addressing access to healthcare, food insecurity, behavioral health, and individuals finding themselves in crisis.