Ameris Bank (NYSE: ABCB) saw its shares fall slightly first thing Friday, on word the lender is donating $1.694 million through the Georgia HEART Hospital Program to 17 rural hospitals across the state in 2025. This marks the eighth consecutive year that Ameris has participated in the state income tax credit program, contributing a total of $14.6 million.
“Many hospitals depend on donations to augment their funding for facilities, training and daily operations,” said Ameris Bank CEO Palmer Proctor.
“This program directly aligns with our purpose as a company to bring financial peace of mind to communities, one person at a time. We applaud the state for this innovative program that enables hospitals to apply the donations in areas that ultimately strengthen the care given to patients.”
Recipients of the donations from Ameris cover 17 counties, and include Colquitt Regional Medical Center in Moultrie, Liberty Regional Medical Center in Hinesville, Southeast Georgia Health System in St. Marys, Higgins General Hospital in Bremen, and Dodge County Hospital in Eastman, among others.
The Georgia Rural Hospital Tax Credit was instituted in 2017 and enables Georgia businesses and taxpayers to redirect Georgia income tax liability to support hospitals. Each year, the Georgia Department of Community Health posts a list of hospitals eligible for the program.
ABCB shares dipped eight cents to $59.49.
