The Free Clinic of Rome is receiving an early Christmas gift from one of the nation’s largest retailers.

The organization has been awarded a $10,000 from Walmart as part of its “12 Days of Giving” holiday campaign.

The Free Clinic of Rome is a faith based, community supported nonprofit organization whose mission is to serve the Northwest Georgia counties of Floyd, Polk and Chattooga by providing quality health care services to uninsured residents who have no access to basic health care. 

Created in 2003 as an outgrowth of Community Kitchen volunteers at Rome First United Methodist Church, the Clinic originally addressed the acute medical needs of residents of the Salvation Army and people who attended the Community Kitchen. 

“Medical attention and emotional support can be difficult to obtain for those in need, yet both are essential to nurturing healthy futures year round and especially during the holiday season,” said Sylvia Mathews Burwell, president of the Walmart Foundation. “Today, we’re honored to support nonprofit organizations that are providing these basic services to people in their local communities.”

During twelve consecutive days, Walmart will award a total of $1.5 million to 140 organizations across the country that are providing basic needs and services such as food, shelter, clothing and medical care.  The organizations serve communities in Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah and Virginia.