HOPE Celebrates Grand Opening of Field Health System

HOPE celebrated the grand opening of Field Health System in Centreville, Mississippi on Tuesday, September 22 with a ribbon cutting and open house.

HOPE provided $6 million in New Markets Tax Credit investment and $2.5 million in conventional financing to the $21 million new state of the art facility. Field Health System is a critical access hospital serving a medically underserved, rural community in Southwest Mississippi. In a community where four out of ten people live in poverty, Field Health Systems provides vital preventive, emergency, surgical, rehab, and clinical health services to over 13,000 patients each year. It is the only hospital for 35 to 50 miles in any direction.

“Field Health System has a long history of providing quality care to the Amite and Wilkerson County communities and we are excited to continue this tradition in our new facility,” said Chad Netterville, Field Health Systems CEO. “Our investors made this state-of-the-art facility a reality for our patients, employees and the entire Amite and Wilkerson County area.”

“Quality health care is fundamental to the economic stability of a community,” said Bill Bynum, CEO of HOPE. “HOPE is proud to be a partner in financing the construction of Field Health System’s new facility that will bring both quality health care and jobs to the area.”

Field Health Systems is the 2nd largest employer in its region. It employs a total of 175 individuals in its hospital and its four clinics. The majority of these employees receive retirement benefits, health, dental, and life insurance, paid vacation and sick leave, and education and training. In addition, the construction of the new facility created more than 150 construction jobs.

HOPE has been financing health care providers for over ten years and has originated more than 30 health care and hospital loans for projects totaling more than $60 million. These health facilities provide thousands of jobs, and serve tens of thousands of patients annually. Community health centers, clinics, and rural hospitals, such as Field Health Systems, play a vital role in the economies of distressed communities across the Mid South and in the lives of working families and children.

About HOPE
HOPE (Hope Enterprise Corporation and Hope Credit Union) is a community development financial institution, community development intermediary and policy center that provides affordable financial services; leverages private, public and philanthropic resources; and engages in policy analysis in order to fulfill its mission of strengthening communities, building assets, and improving lives in economically distressed parts of the Mid South.

Since 1994, HOPE has generated over $2 billion in financing and related services for the unbanked and underbanked, entrepreneurs, homeowners, nonprofit organizations, health care providers and other community development purposes. Collectively, these projects have benefitted more than 650,000 individuals throughout Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.