Mercy Health Center

What Mercy Health Center does

Mercy Health Center, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit free clinic headquartered at 700 Oglethorpe Avenue, Suite C7, Athens, Georgia. Founded in 2001 and originally operating out of Redeemer Presbyterian Church classrooms before moving to a dedicated facility in July 2007, Mercy delivers medical, dental, behavioral health, wellness, and medication-assistance services at no cost to uninsured adults aged 18 and over with household incomes at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level who reside in a 13-county area of Northeast Georgia (Clarke, Jackson, Banks, Barrow, Madison, Oglethorpe, Oconee, Morgan, Greene, Walton, Elbert, Hart, and Franklin counties). In 2024 the organization recorded nearly 6,000 patient interactions across services provided weekdays plus extended Tuesday and Thursday evening hours.

Service delivery rests on a hybrid staffing model of approximately 20-25 paid staff — led by CEO/Medical Director Cole Phillips, MD, MBA and COO Emily Nix, MBA — augmented by credentialed volunteer clinicians (MD, DO, DMD, DDS, PA, NP, RN, RDH, LCSW) and student volunteers from the University of Georgia, Brenau University, Augusta University, Georgia State University, and Athens Technical College. Core operational technology is limited to standard healthcare clinic infrastructure: electronic medical records for dental services, digital x-ray, Sirona panoramic imaging, and upgraded sterilization with High Volume Evacuation enhancements. The Mercy Medication Assistance Program (MMAP) coordinates 90-day prescription fulfillment through pharmaceutical assistance programs.

The organization has no revenue from patient billing; instead, operating support is generated through community donations, foundation grants (Turner Family Foundation, Files Family Foundation, Harris Foundation, Thomas McKey Tillman Foundation, W. Emory Waters Jr. Charitable Trust, Davis Family Foundation, Georgia Baptist Health Care Ministry Foundation, Delta Dental, The Patterson Foundation, Piedmont Healthcare, Jackson EMC Foundation, Walton EMC, Walmart, among others), corporate sponsorships tiered at Mercy/Mission/Faith/Hope/Grace levels, and an annual Music on the Lawn fundraising event. Specialty and diagnostic services for patients are accessed at reduced or no cost through referral partnerships with Northeast Georgia Health System, Northside Hospital, Surgery Center of Athens, Advantage Behavioral Health, Quest Diagnostics, the Athens General Practice Dental Residency, and the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Name

Mercy Health Center

Legal name

Mercy Health Center, Inc.

Website

https://mercyhealthcenter.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mercy Health Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit free clinic in Athens, Georgia that delivers medical, dental, behavioral health, wellness, and medication-assistance services at no cost to uninsured adults with incomes under 200% of the Federal Poverty Level across a 13-county Northeast Georgia catchment, funded entirely through donations, foundation grants, and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Health Clinic Services

NAICS

Ambulatory Health Care Services (621), Health Care and Social Assistance (62), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Primary Care for Underserved Populations (e.g., migrant, homeless, refugee clinics) (HLAFAGAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outpatient Mental Health Clinics & Counseling Centers (HLAFACAA), Hospitals, Clinics & Charitable Healthcare Providers (BPAGACAB)

Keywords

• Free healthcare services
• Nonprofit medical clinic
• Uninsured adult care
• Community health center
• Charitable dental services

Headquarters

HQ city

Athens

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations from Community Partners: Mercy is a completely free health center that relies solely on donations from community partners. All financial contributions are tax-deductible and go directly towards providing Christ-centered healthcare to those most in need. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
2. Event Fundraising: Music on the Lawn is Mercy's premier annual fundraising event held in September, reaching thousands in the community and providing corporate sponsorship opportunities.
3. Grants and Foundation Support: Support from grantors and foundations including Turner Family Foundation, Files Family Foundation, Harris Foundation, Thomas McKey Tillman Foundation, W. Emory Waters Jr. Charitable Trust, Davis Family Foundation, and corporate foundation grants.
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partners sponsor Mercy events and programs at various levels (Mercy, Mission, Faith, Hope, Grace) providing financial support and community visibility.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Mercy Health Center operates a free, faith-based healthcare clinic in Athens, GA that provides comprehensive medical, dental, behavioral health, wellness, and medication assistance services at no cost to uninsured adults in 13 Northeast Georgia counties. All services are delivered at no charge to qualifying patients (age 18+, uninsured, income under 200% of Federal Poverty Line), supported by volunteer healthcare professionals, donations, and grants.

Product overview

Mercy Health Center is a free, faith-based healthcare clinic — not a SaaS platform — offering a unified set of no-cost clinical services to uninsured adults in 13 Northeast Georgia counties. The portfolio consists of five co-equal core service lines: Medical Services (primary care with specialist referral coordination), Dental Services (partnered with Athens General Practice Dental Residency), Behavioral Health Services (counseling and medication management), Wellness Services (smoking cessation, diabetes education, nutrition), and the Mercy Medication Assistance Program (MMAP) for affordable prescriptions. A New Patient Intake Program coordinates eligibility and onboarding across all services. Operations are substantially supported by a Volunteer Program that provides clinical professionals, interpreters, and patient support roles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Medical Services Primary care services for uninsured adults including women's health, preventive care, urgent care, and procedures, with access to specialists at reduced or no cost. Mercy serves as a Primary Care Home for patients in 13 Northeast Georgia counties.
• Dental Services
• Behavioral Health Services
• Wellness Services
• Mercy Medication Assistance Program (MMAP)
• New Patient Intake Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 6,000 patient interactions in 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Brenau UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership providing student volunteers in healthcare fields to support Mercy's mission of serving uninsured patients.
• Augusta UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership providing student volunteers in healthcare fields to support Mercy's mission of serving uninsured patients.
• Georgia State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership providing student volunteers in healthcare fields to support Mercy's mission of serving uninsured patients.
• Athens Technical CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical college partnership providing student volunteers in healthcare fields to support Mercy's mission of serving uninsured patients.
• University of Georgia - School of Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUGA School of Public Health students volunteer at Mercy, gaining hands-on experience while supporting community health services.
• University of Georgia - School of Social WorkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUGA School of Social Work students provide social services support at Mercy under supervision.
• University of Georgia - College of Family and Consumer SciencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUGA College of Family and Consumer Science students volunteer at Mercy in various support roles.
• University of Georgia - College of Education (Counseling & Psychology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUGA counseling and psychology students gain clinical experience while supporting Mercy's behavioral health services.
• Athens General Practice Dental ResidencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with dental residency program to provide dental services along with volunteer dentists, hygienists, and dental assistants.
• Northeast Georgia Health SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare system partner providing specialty care access and support for Mercy patients needing services beyond primary care.
• Northside Hospital - Charity Outreach ProgramscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospital charity outreach program partner providing services at reduced cost or for free to qualifying Mercy patients.
• Surgery Center of AthenscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmbulatory surgery center partner providing surgical services to Mercy patients at reduced cost.
• Advantage Behavioral Health SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBehavioral health system partner providing crisis services and referrals for Mercy patients. Mercy refers patients to Advantage for 24/7 crisis support and day services.
• Department of Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeorgia Department of Public Health partnership supporting community health initiatives and referrals.
• Lydia's PlaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner organization providing additional support services to Mercy patients.
• Community Health Law Partnership (Community HeLP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal services partnership helping patients navigate healthcare-related legal issues.
• Greater Clark County Care Network (GCCN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharitable care network partner supporting healthcare access for uninsured residents.
• Emmanuel AthensminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch partner providing support for Mercy's healthcare mission.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Good Samaritan Health Center (Atlanta): A faith-rooted nonprofit free/charitable clinic in metro Atlanta offering medical, dental, and behavioral health services to uninsured and underinsured patients. Directly comparable to Mercy in mission, free-service pricing model, and reliance on volunteer clinicians and donations.
• CrossOver Healthcare Ministry: A faith-based free clinic in Richmond, VA providing medical, dental, vision, and mental health care to uninsured patients. Closely mirrors Mercy's whole-person, volunteer-driven, donation-funded model serving a defined geographic catchment.
• Volunteers in Medicine: A national network of community-based, volunteer-powered free clinics serving the uninsured and underinsured. Comparable because it provides the same template Mercy follows — credentialed-volunteer clinical model funded by donations.
• Grace Medical Home: A faith-based, Christ-centered medical home in Orlando, FL delivering comprehensive primary, behavioral, and specialty care to uninsured residents. Closely matches Mercy's whole-person-care philosophy and free-service delivery model.
• Christ Community Health Services: A faith-based, multi-site FQHC-like organization in the Southeast providing medical, dental, and behavioral care to underserved patients. Comparable to Mercy in mission orientation and reliance on community partnerships, though at greater scale across multiple sites.
• Mercy Care (Atlanta): A Catholic-affiliated free healthcare clinic in Atlanta serving uninsured and homeless individuals with primary care, dental, and behavioral health services. Same overall purpose and donation/volunteer model as Mercy Health Center in Athens.

Emerging players

• Remote Area Medical: A volunteer-driven nonprofit that operates pop-up free medical, dental, and vision clinics for underserved populations across the U.S. Comparable to Mercy in volunteer-clinician, donation-funded delivery model but uses mobile expedition-style clinics rather than a permanent site.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mercy4athens

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mercy Health Center