As part of the Georgia HEART Hospital Program, Ameris Bank has donated $2 million in financial support to 19 rural hospitals located throughout the bank’s footprint in Georgia, the bank announced in a press release.

Liberty Regional Medical Center is one the hospitals to receive the support. 

The Georgia HEART Hospital Program partners with the Georgia Rural Hospital Tax Credit bill (State Bill 258) to increase funding to rural and critical access hospitals in the state of Georgia. 

The Georgia Rural Hospital Tax Credit enables Georgia businesses and taxpayers to redirect their Georgia income tax liability to help support these qualified hospitals. Participation in the Georgia HEART program is limited to Georgia rural hospitals that meet qualification criteria established by law.

Savannah Technical College donated 15,000 thermometer covers 60 boxes to Liberty Regional Medical Center recently, the school announced in a press release. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a shortage of medical supplies throughout Georgia. Liberty Regional Medical Center reached out to Savannah Technical College to see if the College could help fill a desperate need for thermometer probe covers. STC Board of Directors member Donald Lovette is the director of laboratory services at Liberty Regional and helped facilitate the request with Savannah Technical College, according to the press release. 

The thermometer probe covers are used in health sciences training programs at the college, the school said. 

Previously, STC donated 30,000 individual nitrile gloves and about 150 N95 masks to the Georgia Emergency Management Agency as a part of a statewide Technical College System of Georgia response to PPE shortages. These were then distributed by GEMA to Georgia medical facilities to help in the fight against the spread of COVID-19. 

Several faculty have also been using 3D printers to print face masks and shields for frontline workers’ protection during this pandemic, STC said.