Our History
In the spring of 1999, Nashville physicians Dr. David Gaw and Dr. John Lamb began discussions concerning the feasibility of opening a family practice medical clinic devoted to serving the primary healthcare needs of low-income Nashville residents without health insurance.
Their discussions were founded in their individual commitment to serving others with their skills and experience as physicians. After participating in a number of overseas missions to treat people in need of healthcare, they decided that there was also a great need in their own hometown for a medical mission to serve those in need of timely quality healthcare.
The doctors decided that an existing clinic in Memphis was the best model on which to base a facility for serving their own community. The Memphis clinic, the Church Health Clinic, founded by Dr. Scott Morris, invited Dr. Lamb and Dr. Gaw to visit the Memphis clinic to learn how to bring a similar facility to reality in Nashville.
After visiting Memphis, Dr. Gaw began to seek other Nashville leaders to aid him in building the clinic. He approached Nashville healthcare executive Charlie Martin who agreed to help with the project. Dr. Lamb approached Baptist Hospital's Board of Directors and they agreed to provide the rent-free use of a freestanding medical office building on 21st Avenue North.
In the fall of 1999, Nashville businessman Bill Youree got involved with the project and put together a business plan for opening and operating the clinic.
By the spring of 2000, the Development Plan was complete and a name had been selected: Faith Family Medical Clinic.
Informal discussions were held with Nashville community leaders and a number of them agreed to join and assist with the clinic project. Fund raising efforts began in June of 2000. By the fall of 2000 major grants were awarded to the Clinic project by The Memorial Foundation ($300,000 over three years), The Frist Foundation ($100,000), and the HCA Foundation ($100,000). Individual donors had also contributed or pledged support totaling almost $400,000.
As a result of the vision and hard work of Dr. Gaw and Dr. Lamb, and through the generosity of many donors, Faith Family Medical Clinic opened its doors on October 8, 2001.