WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA – When the power goes out, the stakes are especially high for community healthcare centers that serve vulnerable populations. Thanks to newly installed solar and battery backup systems, two clinics within Goshen Medical Center’s network – the Fairview Clinic in Clinton, NC, and the Tabor City Clinic in Tabor City, NC – are now equipped to provide uninterrupted care to thousands of residents, no matter the circumstances.

These projects, funded through a $464,115 grant from humanitarian aid organization Direct Relief, were completed as part of its Power for Health Initiative, designed to help healthcare facilities stay operational during emergencies and reduce their environmental impact.

Strengthening Local Healthcare Resilience

The communities of Clinton and Tabor City face unique challenges, including frequent power outages caused by hurricanes and severe weather. This year’s active hurricane season demonstrated the need for resilient power systems that allow clinics to continue serving patients during emergencies.

• At the Fairview Clinic in Clinton, which serves over 5,000 patients annually, the new solar and battery system provides full building backup power. On its best days, it offsets more than half of the clinic’s energy usage while reducing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking 54,000 miles of vehicle traffic off the road.

• At the Tabor City Clinic, which serves nearly 3,000 patients annually, a similar system delivers critical backup power and offsets 61% of the clinic’s energy usage. During Hurricane Helene in October 2024, when the area lost power for two hours, the clinic seamlessly transitioned to backup power, ensuring no interruptions in care.

“The very generous grant funding for solar panel projects provided by Direct Relief ensure that we can maintain operations in rural areas to serve needy populations in a section of the country highly susceptible to hurricanes,” said Greg Bounds, PhD, Executive Director of Goshen Medical Center. “We very often, and increasingly in recent years, have lost electrical power due to hurricane damage along the flood plains of eastern North Carolina. We are very grateful for the assistance that enabled such very important investments.”

Supporting Those Who Need It Most

As part of North Carolina’s largest community health center network, Goshen Medical Center prioritizes care for rural, low-income, and underserved populations, including migrant farm workers, public housing residents, and the uninsured.

“These new systems provide peace of mind for communities and their healthcare providers,” said Sara Rossi, Managing Director of Direct Relief’s Health Resiliency Fund. “They ensure that people in Clinton, Tabor City, and beyond can access the care they need, and that Goshen Medical Center can continue to provide that care, even during the most challenging circumstances.”

Building a Sustainable Future for Community Health

In addition to bolstering resilience, the solar and battery installations contribute to a more sustainable future:

• Both systems are fully green, requiring no diesel generators, and reduce carbon emissions equivalent to the impact of planting 26 acres of forest.

• The energy cost savings – estimated at $3,500 annually for Fairview and $3,800 for Tabor City – can be redirected toward patient care.

The installations were developed in partnership with American Microgrid Solutions, with Eagle Solar & Light handling procurement and construction. Additionally, both clinics have applied for rebates from Duke Energy, with Tabor City already receiving $13,500.

A Community Investment That Pays Dividends

Direct Relief, a global humanitarian organization, has been a longstanding partner of Goshen Medical Center. Since 2016, the organization has provided over $1.2 million in support to help the health center network deliver care to more than 52,000 patients annually.

The completion of these projects underscores the importance of investing in community resilience, particularly for healthcare facilities serving those who rely on them most.

“We’re thrilled to bring this critical resource to the communities of Clinton and Tabor City,” said Rossi. “Together, we’re making sure that healthcare access is one thing people can count on, no matter what challenges arise.”