Nearly a Century of Charitable Support for Health Care

Phoebe itself is a product of philanthropy.

In 1905, a group of ladies of the Albany community formed the Hospital Aid Association. The goal: to build a hospital in the little river town to serve the people of Southwest Georgia. The Association held fund-raising drives and charitable events to realize their dream. Then, in 1909, Judge Francis Flagg Putney agreed to donate $25,000 to make the hospital possible. His gift came with three conditions: That the hospital be named for his mother, that it be built of brick to resist fire, and that the hospital serve all those in need, regardless of ability to pay.

During the early decades, friends of the hospital donated both their time and money to help Phoebe serve the community. That tradition continued during Phoebe’s rapid advancement in the latter part of the 20th century to the level of a world-class health care institution, which has been aided in large part by charitable giving.

In 1989, The Phoebe Foundation was formally established to act as the custodian of charitable gifts. A voluntary board of directors drawn from a cross section of the community was established to guide The Foundation and to encourage continued support from the community.

Today, this continuing tradition of support by donors and volunteers has allowed Phoebe to become one of the South’s most progressive and recognized hospitals, and provides citizens of our region with the reassurance of knowing that some of the most advanced medical care available anywhere can be found right here in South Georgia.