Introduction to ECHO

Challenge

Among all industrialized nations, the U.S. has the highest per capita income, the highest percentage who profess the Christian faith, yet the lowest percentage of our poor having access to basic healthcare. Approximately 50 million American residents lack health insurance, about two-thirds due to very low incomes. Most of those are in working families and are U.S. citizens or legalized immigrants. With today’s healthcare costs, these individuals and their families cannot afford a primary care physician. Other than hospital emergency rooms, they have no doctor and no healthcare. They represent the single largest vulnerable population in our country.

At ECHO, we feel that protecting the vast number of our most vulnerable neighbors, by providing access to primary healthcare, is our Christian calling. To do this, we have adopted a secular mission.

Mission

Empowering churches and other community organizations to develop charitable healthcare clinics to serve the most vulerable people in America.

Activities

To pursue this mission, ECHO is engaged in:

(a) Researching the ever changing challenges of healthcare in America
(b) Motivating and recruiting church and other community organizations to develop primary care clinics
(c) Providing low cost consulting services to guide them through the process

Structure

ECHO is an acronym for Empowering Community Healthcare Outreach. Our activities were initiated in 2005 by the Nancy and John Snyder Foundation of Fort Worth, Texas as a direct charitable activity and, in 2007, transitioned into a new independent nonprofit Texas Corporation. We are designated by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) Public Charity.

Invitation

As a faith-based organization pursuing a secular mission, ECHO invites those of all faiths to join us in this activity. We welcome your involvement by the contribution of your time, your talent, your treasure or all of these.