History of ECHO
In 1980, John Snyder and his late wife Nancy established the Nancy and John Snyder Foundation as a family foundation to demonstrate and reinforce Christian love and compassion. In subsequent years, they contributed additional funds to maintain the foundation. While attending a national forum for Christian philanthropists in 2003, Nancy and John heard a retired doctor explain that there were more than 45 million financially struggling individuals in the U.S. without basic healthcare. The doctor described a volunteer-based charitable clinic that he had organized in his own community as a possible model for helping those people.
Nancy Snyder
Nancy and John felt that America’s churches could become more relevant in addressing our societal problems and had the mission to address this massive healthcare issue, as well as the financial and volunteer resources to do something about it. From this inspiration and conviction, the vision for ECHO was born.
In 2005, ECHO’s first full‐time employee joined and a business plan was developed. The year 2010 represented the fifth full year of the plan, which has continually evolved from its original version. The passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in March of 2010 prompted ECHO to review its strategy and mission and led to considering, in addition to ECHO’s traditional activities, the creation of new types of clinic collaborations in Tarrant County, Texas in an effort to find ways to accelerate the growth of healthcare clinics for the poor and vulnerable.
The Nancy and John Snyder Foundation provided the financial base for ECHO from its inception through 2010, and has expressed the intention to continue providing (directly and/or through the Nancy and John Snyder Donor Advised Fund of the Community Foundation of North Texas) substantial financial support for ECHO going forward. Due to ECHO’s growth, additional sources of financial support are now needed: therefore, there is an opportunity for others to invest in this activity and you are invited to contact us.
Nancy Snyder was a wonderful wife, mother, friend, and community volunteer who cared deeply for others. ECHO is intended to symbolize “echoes” of Nancy’s boundless love, energy, and service; as well as echoing the spirit of Jesus Christ to protect the vulnerable and heal the sick.