Marianna non-profit clinic gets significant grant

By KATE McCARDELL KERN
Published: July 17, 2008

A local non-profit medical clinic was awarded a large grant Thursday which will help expand the clinic’s service to the community.
Faith Health Clinic Inc., located on Baltzell Street in Marianna, received a check for $75,000 from The Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida, a philanthropic affiliate of Blue Cross Blue Shield.
“This check has confirmed that our mission is wise and right,” said Dr. Efiong Andem, president and director of the clinic.
The clinic is non-profit, providing free medical care and food to the uninsured, low income and unemployed citizens of Jackson, Holmes and Washington counties.
It gets support from several area churches, including First Assembly of God in Marianna, First Methodist Church, St. Lukes Episcopal Church in Marianna, Ever Increasing Word of Faith, First Presbyterian Church of Marianna, First Presbyterian Church of Sneads and the Marianna Ministerial Association.
“I see the clinic as a miracle and nothing less than a miracle,” said Andem.
According to Andem, the grant is the largest ever received since the clinic’s inception in 1997.
“Before this grant, demand for our services exceeded the clinic’s operational capacity,” said Andem. “Thanks to The Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida’s generosity, we’re now able to increase clinic hours and expand current medical services to treat an additional 1,300 patients per year.”
The funding will also benefit the clinic’s food bank service, he said, and the clinic will now operate five days a week for four hours each day. 
“We’re so excited to see this grant come. I can’t tell you how much this place has helped us,” said Bonnie Bischert
She and her daughters, Dianna and Emma, utilize the clinic for medical care.
Dianna Bischert, 22, was diagnosed with epilepsy when she was 12 years old; but neuro-surgeons were too expensive, so the Bischerts sought help from the Faith Health Clinic.
“Dr. Andem helped me realize that my epilepsy was not a curse that would ruin my life,” said Dianna Bischert. “He’s the ultimate physician and counselor. To be able to go to your doctor and just let it all out is such a blessing.”
Andem uses his spare time to work at the clinic, having a full-time position as a doctor at an area correctional institution.
He applied for the grant in previous years, but to no avail. With a stroke of luck he found a professional grant writing couple in Orlando who agreed to write the grant application for free. John and Mary O’Connors’ second attempt to acquire the grant for the clinic was successful.
“It was really a pleasure for me and my wife Mary,” said John O’Connor. “We focused on telling The Blue Foundation what he’s doing at the clinic and they were very impressed.”
Kent Robbins, physician relations specialist with The Blue Foundation, visited the clinic prior to its selection as a grant recipient.
“Their dedication to serving the underinsured and under-served of this area, and their faith, is very impressive,” said Robbins.
According to Susan Wildes, assistant director of The Blue Foundation, the grant is one of 14, totaling more than $1 million, the group has presented this summer to nonprofit health clinics and community outreach programs across Florida.
She said the Foundation awards grants during two grant cycles per year. 
For more information on The Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida, visit its WEB site http://www.bluefoundationfl.com.
For more information on Faith Health Clinic, visit http://www.faithhealthclinic.com or call (850) 482-5533.