HopeHealth celebrates its’ 25th anniversary

When I first arrived to HopeHealth in 2000, I was one of only six employees. In a 3,000 square foot office, we provided HIV/AIDS services to nearly 400 clients per year. Fast forward fifteen years later and you will find an organization that looks a bit different than the small grassroots non-profit that started 25 years ago. HopeHealth now occupies twelve buildings across the state. We provide community health center services in three counties and HIV/AIDS services in twelve counties across South Carolina. We have nearly 300 employees and serve approximately 35,000 patients a year with a budget over $50 million. It is hard for me to comprehend at times.

Occasionally someone will ask the question, “How did you do all that in such a short period of time?” I think there are a few ways to answer that. First and foremost, we believed. We trusted in a power greater than ourselves to guide and lead us and God has truly blessed our faith. Second, we rejected mediocrity. We hired team members that pursue excellence and that pursuit has led to success. Finally, we took some risks. We tried some things that were a little out of the box. We failed here and there. Ultimately, those risks and failures aided us in our growth and helped us accomplish more in the long term.

What will the next 25 years look like? I’ll be honest, I have no idea. I do know that we will aggressively pursue solutions to the health problems that plague the citizens of the counties that we serve. We will find new and innovative ways to reach people that are disenfranchised by the system. We will focus on quality and begin sharing data with the community that demonstrates the difference we make in the lives of our customers and the impact that has on the community. We will strengthen our commitment to prevention, understanding that many of the health care problems that plague our loved ones can be avoided if we better educate ourselves about the importance of exercise, nutrition and healthy lifestyle modifications. We will work hard to strengthen our already strong relationships with our area hospitals and other community partners, realizing that real and lasting change will come faster if we work together and depend on each other. I’m humbled by what the team members at HopeHealth have accomplished and I’m excited to see what God has in store for us over the next 25 years!

Thank you all for 25 incredible years!