Burgess-Hess gift advances SPFC expansion

St. Petersburg philanthropists Trevor Burgess and Gary Hess have committed $5 million to St. Pete Free Clinic, giving the nonprofit a significant boost as it prepares to open a new flagship facility in South St. Petersburg.

The gift will support Care Forward, SPFC’s five-year, $100 million effort to expand food distribution, healthcare and other services across Pinellas County. The campaign allocates $80 million for expanded programs, $10 million for capital projects and $10 million to build the organization’s endowment.

The new South St. Petersburg facility is a central piece of that capital plan. SPFC acquired the former Badcock Home Furniture & More building at 2200 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street S. in June 2025. Plans call for medical and office space, a food pantry and services from partner organizations. The organization previously said it hoped to open the facility by late 2026 or early 2027.

That combination reflects a broader shift in how SPFC is approaching poverty-related needs. A resident coming for groceries may also need medical care, transportation assistance or help securing identification, housing assistance or public benefits. Putting those services in one location can reduce the number of separate appointments, organizations and trips required to resolve interconnected problems.

“Trevor and Gary have walked alongside SPFC for more than a decade, as donors, advocates, volunteers and leaders,” CEO Jennifer Yeagley said in a prepared statement. “Their extraordinary gift reflects a deep understanding of both the urgency of today’s needs and what is possible when care is connected in one place.”

SPFC says Care Forward aims by 2030 to reach 260,000 Pinellas County residents who identify as food insecure, provide healthcare access to 20,000 uninsured adults and connect 15,000 people with services intended to increase household stability.

The scale of SPFC’s food operation has already grown substantially. The organization distributed more than 21.5 million pounds of food in 2025 and recorded 370,000 pantry visits. Healthcare services increased from 5,600 in 2020 to 18,200 in 2025, according to SPFC.

The new gift also continues a long relationship between Burgess, Hess and the Free Clinic. The couple made their first $1,000 contribution in 2012. Hess joined SPFC’s board in 2019 and later began volunteering at its community food bank. Burgess has organized volunteer projects through Neptune Flood Insurance.

In 2024, they donated $1 million and challenged the community to match the contribution. The Catalyst reported at the time that SPFC subsequently named its volunteer program for Hess.

“Volunteering has allowed me to meet the people behind the numbers and see what reliable access to nutritious food can mean for a family,” Hess said. He said the South St. Petersburg facility will allow residents to connect with groceries, healthcare and other resources in the same setting.

The South St. Petersburg project follows another major SPFC expansion. The organization acquired a 36,000-square-foot building at 2392 31st Street S. in 2021 and completed extensive renovations in 2024, with assistance from a $3 million Pinellas County grant. The building increased food banking capacity as demand remained elevated following the pandemic.

For Care Forward, the South St. Petersburg facility adds a different kind of capacity. SPFC is building a place where food assistance can serve as an entry point into healthcare and other services, allowing the organization and its partners to address several problems during the same visit rather than sending residents through separate systems.