Good News Care Center Receives Three-Year Grant for More Than
$1.6 Million from Baptist Health South Florida
MIAMI, FL – The Good News Care Center, located at 101 South Redland Road in Florida City, received a three-year grant from Baptist Health South Florida for more than $1.6 million. The money was awarded to support the clinic’s ongoing operations and patient care services.
“Baptist Health South Florida has been our primary donor of financial as well as in-kind support since the center’s opening in 1996,” said Michael Daily, CEO of Good News Care Center. “In addition to financial support, they also provide support for patient care, hospitalization, medicines and volunteer doctors. Their help has been invaluable and we would not be able to assist so many patients in need of healthcare services in our community without their continued commitment.”
The Good News Care Center houses a full-time staff physician and approximately six doctors who volunteer one to two days a week. Medical students and doctors from other countries volunteer to complete required practicum and programs for licensure.
“Baptist Health hospitals have always responded to the needs of their communities, with free or reduced fees for care for those who qualify and through our community outreach programs such as the Good News Care Center,” said the Rev. David Cleeland, chairman of the Board of Trustees for Baptist Health. “Our approach to charitable care reflects our role as a faith-based, not-for-profit healthcare organization. Moreover, our not-for-profit mission means that we are directly accountable to the community that supports us and we are eager to give back to it to the extent our resources allow.”
The Good News Care Center provides free healthcare to Dade County’s uninsured population. According to the Miami-Dade Health Department, there are more than 600,000 persons without health insurance currently residing in Miami-Dade County. In 2007, the Good News Care Center treated 4,300 patients through 11,200 physician visits, which produced over $12 million in value of free care.
Open continuously since 1996, the Good News Care Center is a clinic ministry owned by the Miami Baptist Association that provides free access to primary care to those most in need. The clinic operates through the collaborative efforts of Baptist Health South Florida, First Baptist Church of Florida City, the University of Miami Pediatric Mobile Clinic, Nova Southeastern University Health Professions Division, and a host of medical groups, specialists and private donors. Since its inception, the Good News Care Center has received more than $3 million in grants from various foundations and organizations.
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MEDIA CONTACTS:
GOOD NEWS CARE CENTER BAPTIST HEALTH SOUTH FLORIDA
Beth Nelson Jo Baxter
PPR Communications Corporate Vice President
Ph: 305-445-4944 x202 (786) 596-6534
beth@pprcommunications.com job@baptisthealth.net
Dr. Leslie Polland
Volunteer Physician
of the year
2008
Health Fair
