 Left to Right: Amy Eades Fisher, Deatra Harbison, Owonia Hudson, Kathia Candelaria, Maria Soto, Karina Lopez, Dr. Rick Murphy, Imelda Jose, Maria Juan, Sandra Zavala, Susan Reid. A special moment from our Hurricane Relief Outreach Day in Marion, pictured here with an incredible volunteer, Dr. Murphy, who joined us all the way from New Hampshire. From the Executive Director
These collaborations are more than just support—they are a shared commitment to justice, access, and hope. Together, we’ve organized outreach events, distributed donated supplies, and ensured that even the most vulnerable in our community receive the care they deserve. Each day, I witness firsthand the impact of your commitment—patients receiving vaccines, farmworkers getting much-needed check-ups, and families finding hope through our services. These stories remind us why we do what we do. We could not do this work alone. Thank you for standing beside us, for believing in our mission, and for helping us build a stronger, healthier community—one partnership at a time. With heartfelt gratitude, Amy Eades-Fisher, MSW, LICSW Executive Director A VISION FOR OUR FUTURE
Here’s how it works:
This addition has been life-changing for many of our patients, including those with diabetes who had not received an eye exam in years. We have also been able to diagnose eye disorders and treat chronic eye conditions, ensuring better long term eye health for our patients and community. We are incredibly grateful for our volunteers and supporters, and we look forward to expanding the Vision Clinic with even more volunteers in the future! If you or someone you know is interested in helping, please reach out—we’d love to hear from you! Thank you for your continued support of the clinic and our services we provide to our community! Taking Down Barriers for WomenAt Good Samaritan Clinic, we know that healthcare goes beyond medical services and it’s about addressing the whole person. That’s why we launched WOMEN: We Offer Many Necessities, a project dedicated to improving the health and well-being of women in Burke County. We recognized that access to hygiene products is a necessity that impacts health, confidence, and dignity. Yet, for many women, barriers like cost and availability make these essentials difficult to obtain. Our project is aimed to bridging the gap, ensuring that women in our community have access to the products they need. Thanks to the support of the Burke Women’s Fund, we were able to provide hygiene and personal care products to roughly 300 women in need. Products included women’s hygiene products, personal hygiene products, sun protective gear, and first-aid equipment. These seemingly simple items make a profound impact on the daily lives of our patients, promoting both physical health and personal dignity. We are incredibly grateful to our supporters and look forward to finding more opportunities to serve our community.  Facing the Storm Looking out my kitchen window I witnessed tree after tree succumb to Mother Nature - falling like dominos. Then the lights went out. Then the internet was silenced, cutting us off from our loved ones and the world. We were literally and figuratively in the dark. The storm continued until noon and then the earth was filled with silence in the wake of Hurricane Helene’s destruction. My first concern was the stores of insulin at the clinic. As soon as the storm was over, my husband and I packed the van with coolers and the ice packs I placed in our deep freezer earlier that week, and we carefully navigated the roads trying to get to Good Samaritan. A trip that usually takes me 25 minutes took us over 2 hours as we encountered huge trees, rivers, and downed power lines obstructing our paths causing us to reroute. We finally made it to the clinic. By the light of our phones, we started packing insulin into the coolers we had, saving what we could, just in case the power didn’t come back for several days. I was able to maintain the integrity of the insulin we salvaged for the next 4 days replacing ice packs as needed. When the power returned, we returned to the clinic to assess damage and loss. Everything left behind in fridges was a loss as they had been at room temperature for several days. We started the disposal process and started reaching out to drug companies for assistance in replacing what was lost.
Honoring the Legacy of Robert Ford Dale & Dr. Robert Cecil McAdams
Good Samaritan Clinic was deeply honored to receive two generous gifts in memory of Robert Ford Dale and Dr. Robert Cecil McAdams. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to their families for these meaningful contributions that will have a lasting impact on the health and well-being of our community. Robert Ford Dale Robert Ford Dale was a dedicated community member and business owner who lived a simple yet impactful life. Through his estate gift, he has ensured that those in need will continue to receive quality healthcare for generations to come. His generosity extends beyond our clinic, as Good Samaritan Clinic is one of ten organizations benefiting from his estate all chosen to support the people of Burke County. To honor his kindness, we have placed a bench on our clinic grounds, offering a space of reflection and gratitude for his lasting legacy. Dr. Robert Cecil McAdams Dr. Robert Cecil McAdams was a beloved teacher, mentor, and leader whose influence reached far beyond the classroom. He dedicated his life to serving others, and his gift to our clinic ensures that his impact will continue. His generosity will allow us to enhance our services and uphold our commitment to providing high-quality, compassionate care. We are deeply grateful for the legacies of both Robert Ford Dale and Dr. Robert Cecil McAdams. Their gifts not only support our mission but also serve as a testament to the power of generosity in strengthening our community.
This collaboration underscored the importance of emergency preparedness in healthcare settings. As we seek funding for a new generator and expanded disaster response capabilities, we aim to build upon this foundation, ensuring that our clinic remains a reliable source of care in future emergencies.
This year the biggest challenge faced was the hit of Hurricane Helene causing the seasonal and migrant farm workers to be left without water and electricity for days. Although our staff was facing the same challenges we were still able to provide medical services and essential needs. We were visited by Direct Relief and Project Hope and chosen as a 2 Month Grant assignment with Project Hope due to the access of our Mobile Unit. This became a success for our entire Clinical team as they jumped in without hesitation to help our neighbors in McDowell County who were affected by the Hurricane. In total our Outreach Days to McDowell County served 65 patients who received medical care, provided 55 patients with prescription medications, and we did 25 labs. At each outreach we had 10-12 staff and volunteers from our clinic. So in Month #2, Project Hope continued to assist our patients in our clinic. Project HOPE is known for providing critical medical relief in disaster-affected areas. They assisted our organization and many others with medical supplies, staffing, or other support after the hurricane here in Western NC.
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