Burgess and Hess Donated $5 Million to St. Pete Clinic
The gift will support a new facility designed to consolidate food and healthcare services in South St. Petersburg.
Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Philanthropy
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Philanthropists Trevor Burgess and Gary Hess have donated $5 million to the St. Pete Free Clinic to bolster its expansion efforts. The funding supports the organization's mission to address poverty by centralizing medical and pantry services in a new location.
Why it matters
By consolidating disparate services into one site, the clinic aims to more effectively address the interconnected needs of food-insecure and uninsured residents. This gift represents a major contribution to the larger Care Forward campaign.
The St. Pete Free Clinic recorded 21.5 million pounds of food distributed and 18,200 healthcare services provided in 2025. These figures underpin the organization's broader Care Forward campaign, which carries a $100 million total fundraising goal.
The players
Trevor Burgess
He is a philanthropist and donor who has supported the St. Pete Free Clinic since 2012.
Gary Hess
He is a philanthropist and donor who partners with Trevor Burgess on charitable contributions.
St. Pete Free Clinic
It is a community organization that provides food and healthcare services to residents in Pinellas County.
The details
The facility at 2200 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street S., acquired in June 2025, will integrate office, pantry, and medical spaces. The donation helps advance the Care Forward campaign, which allocates $80 million for programs, $10 million for capital projects, and $10 million for an endowment.
Timeline
2012: Burgess and Hess made their first $1,000 contribution to the organization.
2021: The St. Pete Free Clinic acquired a building at 2392 31st Street S.
June 2025: The clinic acquired the new South St. Petersburg facility.
2025: The organization documented its annual food distribution and healthcare service metrics.
Late 2026 or early 2027: The facility is expected to open for operation.
Market Landscape
This contribution follows the funding patterns established by the St. Pete Free Clinic's Care Forward campaign. The donation strengthens the clinic's ability to scale operations against regional poverty challenges while positioning it to meet its long-term service targets for 2030.
The new facility aims to streamline access to essential pantry and medical services for uninsured and food-insecure individuals in South St. Petersburg. Once opened, residents will be able to utilize consolidated resources, potentially reducing the travel time required to access separate assistance programs.
The takeaway
Large-scale philanthropic support is enabling the centralization of social services to better serve vulnerable populations. Consolidating health and food resources remains a key strategy for improving service delivery efficiency in local communities.
Further reading
For more information on community giving, see St. Petersburg Philanthropy.
Source note: This article includes information reported by St Pete Catalyst.
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