ROME, GA., October 25, 2024 – Atrium Health Floyd-Polk Foundation and Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center announced Wednesday the award of over $2 million to the Rome-Floyd YMCA for the 25th Anniversary Capital Campaign for Grizzard Park.  

As part of the agreement, Atrium Health Floyd will be the principal healthcare partner of the Rome-Floyd YMCA at Grizzard Park. The gift will also support the organization’s anti-hunger effort, help the YMCA maintain its cardio room and support other community programs. 

The investment comes a month after the foundation awarded $1.3 million in grants to Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center and Atrium Health Floyd Polk Medical Center which were used to support 33 community agencies across northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama as part of their inaugural Community Impact Grant cycle for 2024. 

“We are thrilled to partner with the YMCA in their efforts to support underserved families, along with helping them make needed improvements,” said Mary Helen Heaner, chair of the foundation. “This is an exciting announcement for our Foundation and for Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center, through whom these funds are granted, and for the families in our community. The Foundation was established to make a difference in the communities we serve. This partnership will make for a healthier community and improve physical and mental health in our youth.” 

Atrium Health Floyd will provide a blood pressure kiosk, athletic training services, emergency medical services, health education, safety programming and health screenings through the partnership. 

“Both Atrium Health Floyd and the Harbin Clinic have long supported the YMCA,” said Kurt Stuenkel, President of Atrium Health Floyd. “The foundation’s gift allows us to strengthen that partnership in alignment with our mission to improve health, elevate hope and advance healing – for ALL.” 

Atrium Health Floyd already supports the YMCA’s mobile food markets, which ensure children, families and seniors are able to access healthy and nutritious food. Those locations include the Gilbreath Center in Garden Lakes, Restoration Rome on Crane Street and Cave Spring Baptist Church, 4 Cedartown Street in Cave Spring.   

The organization provides more than a million pounds of healthy food to families and children each year. 

The YMCA also provides activities aimed at keeping kids healthy through their soccer and basketball programs and day camps. Swimming lessons are also offered at the facility’s indoor heated pool, which includes time for family fun swims. 

Atrium Health Floyd-Polk Foundation was established in 2021 as a result of the strategic combination of Floyd and Atrium Health. The Foundation currently has assets valued at more than $200 million. Annual investment earnings on the assets were used to support Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center and Atrium Health Floyd Polk Medical Center, which in turn, awarded grants to area agencies to address disparities in care and social determinants of health in northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama. 

In the affiliation between Floyd and Atrium Health, the parties along with the Hospital Authority of Floyd County and Cedartown-Polk County Hospital Authority wanted to create a lasting way to positively affect the health of the citizens in our communities to avoid serious health issues at younger ages.