Volunteers and employees at Sumter United Ministries’ free medical clinic work during the coronavirus pandemic. SUM’s new partnership with BD will allow patients to get transportation to appointments for free when they need it.
SUMTER – BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), a leading global medical technology company employing nearly 1,000 associates across South Carolina, has partnered with Sumter United Ministries Free Medical Clinic to help eliminate transportation barriers to health care access for its patients. Sumter United Ministries Free Medical Clinic has received a grant from the BD Community Investment Fund, which issued a total of $2 million in investments across 27 BD communities to support expanded access to preventative care, nutrition, housing and education.
Historically, underserved patient populations can face numerous barriers to health care – including access to reliable transportation for medical appointments. With this grant, Sumter United Ministries Free Clinic will be able to offer its patients transportation to and from appointments – free of charge – to support community members who are unable to independently access medical care when they need it.
“The core mission of the BD Community Investment Fund is to help expand accessibility to health care services for the most vulnerable patient populations in our hometown communities,” said Sien Avalos, director of Social Investing at BD and vice president of the BD Foundation. “With this grant, we look to help Sumter United Ministries Free Medical Clinic reach those in the community who need access to care most by eliminating a common, yet manageable obstacle to obtaining treatment and preventative care.”
“Sumter United Ministries is deeply grateful for our partnership with BD. Providing health care alone is not enough if people cannot access these essential services. Often, a broader range of support is needed to make a meaningful impact,” Mark Champagne, executive director at Sumter United Ministries said. “Thank you, BD, for your commitment to making health care accessible to our neighbors in Sumter.”
BD has been a longstanding community partner in South Carolina for more than 50 years (opening its Sumter Plant in 1970 with 25 employees). Today, the company upholds its pledge to support the well-being of these communities and has invested in numerous local health and wellness nonprofits, including United Way, American Heart Association and Sumter Education Foundation.
About BD
BD is one of the largest global medical technology companies in the world and is advancing the world of health by improving medical discovery, diagnostics and the delivery of care. The company supports the heroes on the frontlines of health care by developing innovative technology, services and solutions that help advance both clinical therapy for patients and clinical process for health care providers. BD and its more than 70,000 employees have a passion and commitment to help enhance the safety and efficiency of clinicians’ care delivery process, enable laboratory scientists to accurately detect disease and advance researchers’ capabilities to develop the next generation of diagnostics and therapeutics. BD has a presence in virtually every country and partners with organizations around the world to address some of the most challenging global health issues. By working in close collaboration with customers, BD can help enhance outcomes, lower costs, increase efficiencies, improve safety and expand access to health care. For more information on BD, please visit bd.com or connect on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/bd1/, X (formerly Twitter) @BDandCo or Instagram @becton_dickinson.