Management company makes donations in Fairfax, Anadarko, Stroud

OKLAHOMA CITY — First Physicians Capital Group (FPCG) last week announced it donated $75,000 to three rural communities located in its hospitals’ operations area. The gift will provide food to Oklahomans in need and Chromebooks to students for distance learning.

First Physicians Capital Group manages three rural hospitals including The Physicians’ Hospital in Anadarko, Fairfax Community Hospital and Stroud Regional Medical Center. The company’s CEO, Jeff Hill, said the $75,000 gift is one of many contributions the company is providing as part of its giving efforts to the rural communities it serves.

“First Physicians Capital Group has always felt a deep commitment to contribute to the health and well-being of the communities where we live and work,” Hill said. “In this trying time, we recognize the responsibility is even greater. It is our duty to serve our neighbors and help these residents and their families get the resources they need.”

The group worked closely with its hospital CEOs and community liaisons to identify some of the most significant needs in the community. Select organizations in each community received approximately $25,000 for food distribution or technological tools.

In Anadarko, FPCG recently gifted approximately $21,000 to Anadarko Public Schools to purchase over 70 Chromebooks for K-12 students. The company provided 30 Chromebooks in March, which brings a total of 100 Chromebooks to students in Anadarko to date.

Jerry McCormick, superintendent of Anadarko Public Schools, said the contribution comes at a critical time and provides much-needed technology for students to learn from home.

“We are very appreciative of this donation. These devices make a significant difference for us with distance learning becoming the new norm and not knowing what the future will hold moving forward,” said McCormick. “This gift will help get us closer to reaching our goal of getting Chromebooks to all students. It speaks highly of First Physicians Capital Group and their dedication to our schools and hometown.”

McCormick added the gift allowed the school district to invest in other critical components of education.

“We would have to forego other purchases if it wasn’t for First Physician Capital Group’s support,” McCormick said. “Because of their support, we can invest in professional development and textbooks for teachers and staff.”

To serve the residents of Fairfax and Osage County, FPCG provided $25,000 to the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma to support a growing number of struggling individuals and families. Fairfax Community Hospital and FPCG volunteers, in partnership with the Food Bank, hosted a drive-thru distribution and provided emergency groceries to 115 households, particularly those who lost their jobs amid the COVID-19 pandemic and find themselves without an income.

“Sparsely populated rural communities in Oklahoma face many economic challenges. Those challenges are often associated with food insecurity, principally when food resources such as grocery stores or food pantries don’t exist,” said Lori Long, CEO of the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. “The Food Bank has provided a monthly Mobile Pantry in Fairfax for some time, but a sustainable ongoing food pantry will provide more options for local residents. This gift from the First Physicians Capital Group helped provide an immediate drive-thru distribution of emergency boxes of food and will help establish a future ongoing resource for people who are hungry in the Fairfax area.”

In Stroud, FPCG donated $25,000 to help additional people who are hungry through the Stroud Food Pantry. The group gifted the nonprofit with $15,000 to provide groceries and nutrition to rural Oklahomans in need, particularly in a drive-thru distribution in late April where volunteers distributed food to 150 families. The remaining $10,000 will go toward funds for an additional building and the purchase and installation of two critically important storage equipment – a refrigeration and freezer unit.

Stroud Food Pantry’s President James Huelsman said the community has been very engaged and support from businesses like First Physicians Capital Group make a significant impact.

“It floored me. All of a sudden, the troubles of making sure the pantry is going to move forward without putting in additional volunteer energy for fundraising went away. First Physicians Capital Group has by far made the largest contribution to our future. Our nonprofit would have been genuinely challenged without their support. I’m grateful for a caring community that continues to rally around us,” Huelsman said.

As First Physicians Capital Group’s hospitals in Anadarko, Fairfax and Stroud continue to grow and serve its rural residents, the group has plans to improve the quality of life in its operating communities through ongoing partnerships with local organizations.

“There are a lot of people struggling through hard times, especially during this crisis, and we are here to serve them for the long haul,” Hill said. “People have rallied around our dedicated hospital staff on the front line and we deeply appreciate their support. We work with the most amazing communities in Oklahoma and we just want to give back.”