In an era where healthcare is increasingly understood to extend far beyond the confines of a clinic or hospital, addressing the foundational barriers to wellness has become a critical priority for communities across the nation. For many families, particularly in rural and underserved areas, obstacles such as food insecurity, lack of transportation, and limited access to preventive services create significant health disparities that clinical care alone cannot resolve. Recognizing this challenge, the CareSource Foundation has stepped forward with a substantial investment aimed directly at these root causes. Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center was recently announced as a recipient of a $75,000 grant as part of the 2025 CareSource Foundation Grant Challenge, a financial award designed to empower a vital community-focused health initiative and bring essential services directly to those who need them most. This funding marks a significant step in acknowledging that true community health is built on a foundation of accessible nutrition, preventive care, and support systems that meet people where they are.
A Strategic Investment in Whole-Person Care
The $75,000 grant represents a powerful synergy between a nonprofit managed care organization and a leading healthcare provider, both deeply committed to a model of whole-person care. This award is a key component of CareSource’s broader $300,000 investment in Georgia-based organizations, underscoring a strategic effort to improve health outcomes by tackling the social drivers of health head-on. The collaboration is rooted in a shared understanding that factors like economic stability and access to nutritious food are as crucial to a person’s well-being as medical treatment. Leaders from both organizations have expressed that this partnership is a vital step toward transforming care delivery. Atrium Health Floyd President Kurt Stuenkel and CareSource Georgia President Jason Bearden have highlighted the grant’s role in ensuring more families receive essential services where and when they are needed most. The selection was guided by a comprehensive community health needs assessment, which identified the most pressing challenges facing the region and allowed for a targeted application of funds to generate the greatest possible impact for the local population.
From Funding to Frontline Impact
This significant financial award will directly fuel Atrium Health Floyd’s “Expanding Access, Elevating Health” program, a multi-faceted initiative designed to address specific, identified community needs. A major portion of the funding is dedicated to enhancing food security by forging innovative partnerships with rural farmers’ markets. This effort will provide low-income families with unprecedented access to fresh, locally grown produce, directly combating nutritional deficits that can lead to chronic health conditions. Furthermore, the grant will sustain and expand critical school-based health programs that currently serve over 24,000 students and 2,400 staff members across Floyd, Rome City, and Polk County schools, ensuring that children and educators have convenient access to care. The final cornerstone of the program involves bolstering the Mobile Mammography Coaches. These vehicles are indispensable assets that deliver life-saving preventive cancer screenings to women who face significant economic and logistical barriers, breaking down the transportation and cost hurdles that too often prevent early detection and treatment.
Charting a Course for Collaborative Health Equity
The successful partnership between Atrium Health Floyd and the CareSource Foundation provided a powerful blueprint for how healthcare systems and philanthropic organizations could effectively unite to combat systemic health inequities. This initiative was more than a simple transfer of funds; it was a testament to the power of data-driven, community-focused intervention. By channeling resources directly into programs addressing food insecurity, youth wellness, and preventive cancer screenings, the collaboration created a tangible and immediate impact on the lives of thousands. The project demonstrated that a holistic approach, one that valued and addressed the social determinants of health, was not just an ideal but a practical and achievable strategy for building a healthier, more resilient community. This grant became a cornerstone for a more integrated model of public health, one that promised a future where access to care was no longer determined by zip code or economic status.
