Georgia Baptist Health Care Ministry Foundation surpasses $100 million in grants since 2007 By HENRY DURAND, The Christian Index Monday, February 23, 2026 DULUTH, Ga. — The Georgia Baptist Health Care Ministry Foundation awarded more than $9.2 million in grants to 87 health care ministries serving communities across the state on Thursday, Feb. 19, pushing the foundation’s total giving since 2007 past $100 million. The grants, presented during a ceremony at the Gas South Convention Center, support ministries that provide compassionate, hands-on care to thousands of Georgians each year. Larry Wynn, the foundation’s executive director, said, “This is one of my favorite days of the year.” For Wynn, the annual presentation is about far more than distributing checks. “It’s about compassion in action. It’s about being the hands and feet of Jesus to people.” The 2026 grants emphasize direct patient care delivered through charitable clinics, mobile medical units, community health programs, pregnancy centers, recovery ministries, and nursing education programs. “You who are the caregivers of the state are making a huge difference in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” Wynn told recipients. “You’re touching lives.” Each grant represents both responsibility and hope, Wynn explained. “Each dollar that you will be presented today represents a trust. Each grant represents hope.” The foundation’s board meets annually for a three-day working retreat to review grant applications. “It’s a working retreat, but it’s a time of celebration,” Wynn said. “Because we know that every grant we give is going to make a difference in somebody’s life.” Among the largest areas of funding this year: Charitable primary medical care clinics Medical and dental clinics serving uninsured and indigent patients Pregnancy resource centers and ultrasound services Substance recovery programs Vision and pharmacy ministries School-based and community health initiatives Nursing education at Georgia’s Baptist universities The nursing programs at Brewton-Parker Christian University, Shorter University, and Truett McConnell University each received $200,000 for operational support and scholarships, helping train the next generation of Christ-centered health care professionals. Pregnancy centers and women’s health ministries received funding for expanded ultrasound services and maternal care. Foundation-supported clinics that minister to mothers-to-be have saved more than 25,000 babies since the grant program began. Wynn sees the foundation’s work as rooted in biblical principles. “Throughout Scripture you see a consistent call to care for the sick, to lift the vulnerable, and to bring healing to the body and the spirit,” he said. After visiting clinics across Georgia, Wynn said he has witnessed firsthand the difference recipients make. “You stand in the gap,” he told them. “You minister to people that probably would not receive care if it were not for what you do.” Besides physical treatment, Wynn emphasized the importance of respect and care shown to patients. “When someone steps into one of your clinics, they’re not treated as a number. They’re treated as a person with needs. And it’s at that moment that healing begins.” Ricky Powell, newly elected chairman of the foundation board and senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Blairsville, said the foundation exists to support ministries already meeting needs in their communities. “We feel like it’s just connecting the ongoing ministry of Georgia Baptists to help people spiritually, physically, mentally,” Powell said. “This health care foundation puts the dollars where the people are actually doing the work.” Powell said the board prioritizes partnership. “We don’t have to pioneer to start new things,” he said. “Just partner with the people God has raised up in our communities.” One of Powell’s trustee grants this year went to Healing Hands, a health care clinic in Blairsville serving uninsured patients. “Health care costs are outrageous, and many people can’t afford insurance. So they go without,” Powell said. “This clinic is able to help people with practical needs.” Lola Bell of GAP Ministries explained that her ministry provides a breadth of services, including a pharmacy assistance program, food pantry, diaper ministry, prescription eyeglasses, and transportation assistance through refurbished bicycles. “We don’t charge for anything,” Bell said. “We are just helping those who need our help.” She said foundation support is critical. “We couldn’t do it without the foundation partnership,” Bell said. “This grant is one of our biggest grants that we receive, and it does so much for the pharmacy. That’s probably our most expensive ministry, and the foundation grant tremendously helps.” Christine Boggs, executive director of Willing Helpers Clinic in Covington, echoed that sentiment. “We offer free primary medical care,” Boggs said. “The Georgia Baptist Foundation has been a huge support of ours for probably over a decade. Without their support, we wouldn’t be able to provide as many patient interactions as we can right now. They’re extremely valuable to our organization.” Since 2007, the foundation has awarded more than $100 million in grants, and Wynn would like to see that figure continue to grow. “We don’t want to be a secret,” Wynn said. “We want people to know what Georgia Baptists are doing.” This year’s recipients are: Athens Wellness Clinic: $30,000 Baptist Mobile Health Ministry Inc.: $50,000 Baptist Village Retirement Communities: $100,000 Bethesda Community Clinic: $80,000 Brewton-Parker Christian University: $200,000 Camp Rock of Georgia, Inc.: $20,000 Carroll Sav-A-Life, Inc/PRC: $45,140 Center for Black Women’s Wellness: $60,000 Choices Crisis Pregnancy Center, Inc.: $50,000 Christ Community Health Services Augusta: $100,000 Christian Women’s Center: $20,000 Community Helping Hands Clinic: $10,000 Community Whole Health Corp.: $25,000 Consolation Baptist Association: $75,000 Coweta Samaritan Clinic: $100,000 Crosspoint Compassion Center: $24,000 Curtis V. Cooper Primary Health Care: $100,000 DDD Foundation, Inc.: $100,000 DEO Clinic, Inc.: $80,000 EBC Cares, Inc.: $20,000 Equip Ministries: $10,000 Ethne Health: $100,000 Extra Special People, Inc.: $20,000 Faith Hope & Love Christian Ministries: $100,000 Faith In Serving Humanity Medical, Inc.: $100,000 Forsyth Community Clinic: $10,000 Free Clinic of Rome: $93,000 Friends of Disabled Adults and Children: $60,000 Georgia Baptist Children’s Homes: $100,000 GAP Ministries: $40,000 Georgia Baptist Mission Board (GBMB Health Initiatives): $2,550,000 Georgia Baptist Mission Board (GBMB Retiree Health Care Program): $510,352.19 Georgia Highlands Medical Services: $100,000 Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation: $100,000 Giving Health, Inc.: $100,000 Good Health Ministries: $70,000 Good News Clinics: $100,000 Good Samaritan Health Center of Cobb: $100,000 Good Samaritan Health Center of Gwinnett: $100,000 Good Shepherd Clinic of Dawson County: $60,000 Grace Gate Clinic: $5,000 GuideStone Financial Resources of the SBC: $82,333 Hands of Hope Clinic: $100,000 Healing Bridge Clinic: $80,000 Healing Hands Community Clinic, Inc.: $20,000 Heart of Georgia DDM: $20,000 Hebron CHC dba Truth’s Community Clinic: $50,000 J.O.Y. Clinic: $50,000 Kingdom Care, Inc.: $90,000 Macon Volunteer Clinic, Inc.: $100,000 MAP International: $82,500 MedShare: $100,000 Mercy Health Center: $100,000 Mercy Medical Clinic and Foundation, LLC: $75,000 MercyMed of Columbus, Inc.: $100,000 Meridian Educational Resource Group dba Whitefoord Inc.: $100,000 Miracle Making Ministries, Inc.: $100,000 Morganton and Mountaintown Association: $100,000 Mosaic Health Center, Inc.: $90,000 Moyo Missions: $10,000 MUST Ministries, Inc.: $100,000 Northeast Georgia Community Clinic: $10,000 Open Arms Clinic: $50,000 Our House: $100,000 Penfield Addiction Ministries Inc.: $200,000 Physicians’ Care Clinic: $30,000 Pinnacle Retreat Center: $20,000 Prevent Blindness Georgia: $100,000 Primary Healthcare Centers: $100,000 Rehab and Beyond, Inc.: $20,000 Rehoboth Life Care Ministries, Inc.: $70,000 Riley Medical Clinic: $30,000 Ser Familia, Inc.: $60,000 Shorter University: $200,000 St. Vincent de Paul Georgia: $100,000 Sumter Faith Clinic: $100,000 The Good Samaritan Health Center: $100,000 The Hearts & Hands Clinic: $85,000 Tri Med Family Care: $100,000 Troup Cares, Inc.: $60,000 Truett McConnell University: $200,000 Two Rivers Health Clinic: $23,500 Urban Health & Wellness dba Urban Clinic of Atlanta: $100,000 Willing Helpers Medical, Inc.: $75,000   --- PHOTOS --- File: 20260223-204104-f93-Larry 5.jpg Caption: Executive Director Larry Wynn speaks at the Georgia Baptist Health Care Ministry Foundation annual luncheon and grant award ceremony. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20260223-204106-525-Prayer.jpg Caption: Board members and grant recipients pray at the Georgia Baptist Health Care Ministry Foundation annual luncheon and grant award ceremony. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20260223-204107-929-Ricky prays.jpg Caption: Ricky Powell, newly elected chairman of the foundation board and senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Blairsville, prays at the Georgia Baptist Health Care Ministry Foundation annual luncheon and grant award ceremony. (Index/Henry Durand) File: 20260223-204109-480-Scarlett with Beth Ann.jpg Caption: Scarlett Rigby, left, executive director of Hebron Community Health Center, speaks with Beth Ann Williams, lead strategist for Georgia Baptist Women/Mission Georgia, at the Georgia Baptist Health Care Ministry Foundation annual luncheon and grant award ceremony. (Index/Henry Durand)