It’s the right time of year for a celebration, and the board, staff, volunteers and patients of Hope Clinic have a lot to celebrate. The clinic has recently been the recipient of generous grants from organizations including the Beasley Foundation, is marking its 23rd anniversary and recently started an urgent care clinic.
Martha Sanford, along with Jim Witt, Missions Pastor at First Baptist Church of Garland, started the clinic after a good deal of planning and praying. It began as an urgent care clinic held one night a week at the church.
“Over time it grew,” Witt said. “We knew that the need in the community was large, and the urgent care clinic began to grow, and more and more people got involved.”
Witt added that there have been hurdles, some of them very high, to clear.
“But with God’s help and a lot of help from the community, we were able to do the things to get us where we are today,” he said.
Hope Clinic’s Executive Director Tanya Downing said that there has been a decrease in donations because of the economy.
“It has caused us to rethink the way that we fundraise here at Hope Clinic, so hiring a contract grant writer has been so beneficial,” she said.
Downing is grateful for a generous grant they recently received from the Theodore and Beulah Beasley Foundation.
According to Michael Vanderslice, who serves on the foundation’s board, his great-grandfather started the foundation in 1957.
“He was in the insurance business, and he felt strongly about giving back to the community. So, he put a portion of his money into a foundation,” Vanderslice said. “It started off small, but over time, it has grown.”
He said that when he and other board members first visited Hope Clinic, they immediately saw that it was different from most clinics they see. Vanderslice explained that when you walk into a place, you get a feeling about it, and he got a great feeling when he entered Hope Clinic. This is what drove the decision to award the grant.
He also said that instead of having a strict process for choosing grant recipients, they choose the ones that they know are good. He added that in this case, healthcare is a great need, so it made sense to award this grant.
“There are some medical facilities where it feels more corporate. It’s a non-profit, but it doesn’t feel like a nonprofit, and this place [Hope Clinic] is the exact opposite of that,” Vanderslice said. “They are here because it’s a good thing to do.”
He also expressed confidence in Downing’s ability to oversee the clinic.
“From the first time I met her, I knew she was special,” Vanderslice said.”
In addition to medical facilities, the Beasley Foundation gives to causes including the arts, education, disability inclusion, food insecurity and youth counseling to name a few. This year, they have given 98 grants.
Downing expressed deep gratitude for this grant as well as some others they have recently received from donors including Texas Methodist Foundation and the Every Page Foundation.
Jamie Miller, Executive VP/East Market President of Veritex Bank serves on the Hope Clinic board and organizes Wheels of Hope, a fundraiser for the clinic. The annual event has enjoyed success and raised an impressive amount of money. Wheels of Hope will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2025.
“It [Wheels of Hope] has grown to the point to where it’s kind of a fixture now, and it’s because of the work that a lot of very talented people,” Miller said.
Miller also serves on the Garland ISD Board of Trustees and understands the need for the clinic.
“We [Garland] have become a city of needs,” Miller said. “If you look at our school district population, 76% of students are economically disadvantaged.”
Downing is also proud to celebrate the 23rd anniversary. She is fully aware of the need for healthcare for the underserved population and feels that it’s a privilege to help through her work at Hope Clinic. It is the only nonprofit providing free healthcare for the uninsured and underserved, and she believes that everyone deserves quality medical care. This is made possible by everyone involved with Hope Clinic – the board, staff, volunteers and donors.
Another accomplishment deserving praise is the opening of an urgent care clinic in October. It provides an opportunity for more people to receive healthcare, and it is entirely volunteer driven. Providers go to the clinic after they have worked their day shifts at Family Medical Centers of North Garland, Murphy, Rockwall and Wylie West. The Urgent Care Clinic (UCC) is open Thursdays, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
The providers see patients with acute or urgent care needs. Some of them provide procedures including joint injections, toenail removal and skin biopsies.
Photos provided by Hope Clinic of Garland.
Click here to help Hope Clinic provide healthcare to the uninsured and underserved.
About The Theodore & Beulah Beasley Foundation
The Theodore and Beulah Beasley Foundation was established in 1957 by Theodore and Beulah Beasley. Their vision and dedication to making a positive impact on the lives of others laid the groundwork for the Foundation’s ongoing success. Over the years, the Foundation has grown and evolved, but the core mission and values have remained steadfast.