Barnabas Center held its annual membership meeting on Thursday, January 30th at Story and Song Bookstore and Bistro. The meeting provided highlights and accomplishments in 2019 and welcomed new board members: Gretchen Guess and Jonathan Simpson.
Among the highlights of the past year, President and CEO, Wanda Lanier, announced Barnabas Center’s strategic plan for 2019 – 2023. The goal of the strategic plan is to increase outreach to underserved areas of west Nassau County and expand services to meet the needs of a growing population, targeting west Nassau County through traditional and nontraditional ways of delivering services.
Major highlights of the strategic plan include expanded outreach to west Nassau County. Through a partnership with First Methodist Church, Callahan, the church converted a vacant building into a new office space where Barnabas began primary medical care, crisis assistance and case management. Through a partnership with the Nassau County Health Department, Barnabas will provide a full range of dental services to adults at the department’s dental clinic in Hilliard. Barnabas will also establish a mobile health team to reach out to rural areas of the county. A van has been purchased that will be staffed part-time by a registered nurse and community health worker.
Wayne McLellan, Board Treasurer announced that Barnabas received the Charity Navigator highest, 4-star rating for efficiency, effectiveness and transparency for thirteen (13) years in a row; only 1% of charities rated in the United States achieved this status.
Wanda Lanier also presented Barnabas program highlights from 2019 compared to previous years, including a special thanks to Barnabas partners in delivering affordable medical care to lower income, uninsured adults. Baptist Medical Center Nassau and Baptist Health provided in-kind diagnostic testing and treatment valued at more than $3.8 million. Another major highlight included a grant from the Rotary Club of Amelia Island Sunrise which helped Barnabas New to You Resale Store purchase a commercial truck for pick-up and deliveries of donated furniture.
