At the age of 19, Pastor Richard Williams lost his mother. However, he made a promise to her that he would give his all, and it was this promise that led him to open the Beacon Center in May of 2022.
Today, the centre offers over 30 services, including HIV screening and a food pantry. Recently, Williams partnered with Five Horizons Health Services to open the only health clinic on the west side of Montgomery.
He remembered his promise to his mother as he cut the ribbon to mark the opening of the clinic. The health clinic offers various services, such as internal medicine, behavioural health care, and substance abuse help. It serves people regardless of their insurance status.
Five Horizons CEO Billy Kirkpatrick noted that the clinic would be vital in a state that refuses to expand Medicaid. The nonprofit currently operates health clinics in Alabama and Mississippi, and this new clinic is its third location, with the other two in Tuscaloosa and Starkville.
Mayor Steven Reed attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony and acknowledged the clinic’s importance for the region. Jamil Dawson, the COO for Five Horizons, who grew up on the west side, expressed his joy in being involved in the project. He believes that healthcare is a right and that the clinic’s opening warms his heart.
The Beacon Center’s mission is to involve the community in its business, and it employed over 70% of its contractors from surrounding neighbourhoods. In its first year of operation, the centre served over 19,000 households.
Williams attributes the centre’s success to the support of God.
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