Health Care Ministry Foundation distributes $4.2 million to 58 recipients

DULUTH — Christmas may have come two months ago for most individuals, but 58 grant recipients of the Georgia Baptist Health Care Ministry Foundation received their long-awaited gifts the week after Valentine’s Day.

That’s when the Foundation awarded $4.2 million to ministries statewide at its annual awards banquet at the Georgia Baptist Missions and Ministry Center. The gathering was held Feb. 19 at the Duluth headquarters of the state convention.

Joe Westbury/Index

SBC President Johnny Hunt, pastor of First Baptist Church in Woodstock, addresses grant recipients at the fourth annual Health Care Ministry Foundation banquet on Feb. 19. Representatives from 58 ministries walked away with $4.2 million in grants from the Georgia Baptist ministry. Foundation President Frank Upchurch, seated to the right, listens to Hunt’s comments.

Even in the midst of a sluggish economy, the Foundation increased by 4 the number of grant recipients for the 2008 calendar year. Those recipients illustrated the Foundation’s commitment to being a “hospital without walls,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Frank Upchurch.

“This year we were fortunate to award 58 grants to recipients from across the health care spectrum, from the ABC Women’s Clinic in Dublin to Zachariah’s Way in Gainesville. “We have geographical diversity that touches many corners of our state with funds necessary to bring healing to communities deserving of such assistance.”

Upchurch noted that even in such uncertain economic times as the nation is experiencing, the Foundation is grateful for having the assets to make these grants possible and further the vision of the founders of the former Georgia Baptist Hospital network.

“The year of 2009 affords us another guarded privilege to be a channel of God’s blessing. By providing funds to these organizations we are able to continue to fulfill our mission to offer a ‘healing ministry to those in need.’

“Even in an unstable economy, God’s grace and many wise Board decisions have given us a timely opportunity. Our desire is to provide critical financial resources to those Christ-like organizations that are helping us strengthen a network of healthcare professionals.”

The 58 recipients were chosen from a list of 102 applicants, Upchurch explained. While it was difficult to choose between the many valid ministries, Board members expressed appreciation for all those who applied and encouraged them to seek assistance next year.

This year’s grants were distributed among 30 associations and 29 counties and touched lives far beyond Georgia’s borders. Due to some of the recipients’ work in foreign nations, individuals in 34 countries were also affected by the grants, taking the Foundation’s ministry to an international level.

The vast majority of the 2008 recipients, who received the grants in the 2009 year, were Georgia Baptist. The remaining funds were distributed to community-based ministries in keeping with government guidelines that reflected initial government investment in the former hospital network’s infrastructure.

The banquet was the fourth consecutive year for the Foundation to distribute the funds since the network’s properties were sold and the Foundation was created to manage the assets. Only the interest from each year’s investment is awarded as grants; the principle is kept in reserve to generate future revenue for distribution.

Since the first grants were awarded in 2006 (for the 2005 year), $19,607,878 have been distributed throughout the state, Upchurch added.