As part of the Georgia HEART Hospital Program, Heritage Property Management Services, Inc. (HPMSI) gave $25,000 in financial support to St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital serving the Lake Oconee community in Georgia.

Rural hospitals in the state of Georgia have been facing a financial crisis for years as a result of demographic, economic and industry challenges. The Georgia HEART Hospital Program administers the Rural Hospital Tax Credit, enacted by the Georgia General Assembly in 2016, to increase funding to the state’s rural and critical access hospitals. This assistance furthers the hospitals’ ability to provide quality health care for the thousands of Georgians who live in the communities they serve.

“Heritage Property Management’s support of St, Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital is precisely the type of business-local hospital partnership that Georgia lawmakers envisioned when adopting the rural hospital tax credit program,” explained Lisa Kelly, President of Georgia HEART Hospital Program, which helps the 56 participating rural hospitals market and administer the program. “When businesses help improve access to healthcare in rural areas, it is a ‘win-win-win’ situation, with hospitals, local residents, and the sustainability and growth of the community all benefitting.”

HEART funds provided by HPMSI will be used by St. Mary’s Good Samaritan in ways that best fit their specific needs to better provide quality healthcare to their patients.

“As a company guided by the Heritage Way, we consider it a privilege to be able to make these contributions to support families in the Greensboro area,” said Gavin A. Cobb, CEO. “We are neighbors in the Lake Oconee area, and we are committed to doing our part to help bring them financial peace of mind and advance access to quality healthcare.”

Through HEART, Georgia taxpayers can make 100% tax credit-eligible contributions, up to specified limits, to qualified rural hospitals of their choice. “C” Corporations and Pass-Through Entity business owners who participate may also qualify for an additional federal business expense deduction. Essentially, individuals and business have the unique opportunity to pay their state income taxes – an expenditure they are required to make anyway – through contributing to rural hospitals.

“We are so grateful to Heritage Property Management for their support of St. Mary's Good Samaritan Hospital through the Georgia HEART tax credit program. Contributions like theirs help us continue to provide and expand high quality health care services and state-of-the-art technology right here in our community. We can't say 'thank you' enough!” stated Tanya Adcock, President, St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital.

Adcock added, “Georgia's tax credit program addresses a huge need for rural hospitals in this state, many of which are really struggling. Good Sam is so blessed to have such great support from our community that we are able not just to survive, but to thrive. Contributions through the Georgia HEART program have helped us in many ways, such as providing 24/7 security coverage, and are also helping as we upgrade vitally important technology and services such as CT, MRI, and cardiac stress testing.”

“We are pleased to support of St. Mary’s Good Samaritan,” Gavin Cobb, “and we hope that other companies join us in ‘taking HEART’ for their local rural hospitals.”

Currently, 56 rural hospitals are qualified to receive these tax credit-eligible contributions from individuals and businesses across the state. Georgia income taxpayers who are interested in participating in the HEART program in support of St. Mary’s Good Samaritan and others are encouraged to visit www.georgiaheart.org to learn more and submit a 2021 HEART tax credit application.