Monday, May 20, 2024
A prominent Hood County leader may have left his mark on many residents he encountered over the years — but now his legacy will live on in the most honorable tribute.
Made official May 3, Ruth’s Place Clinic has now been renamed the Ken Hill Health Center to honor Hill’s legacy to both Granbury and Hood County.
Ruth’s Place is a nonprofit organization that provides high quality health care and social services to uninsured Hood County residents.
Although Ruth’s Place has been operating under its original name for more than 20 years, Executive Director Kristin Billington said the decision for the name change was largely credited to the nonprofit organization recently receiving a multiyear grant from the Kenneth Hill Foundation.
“In an effort to honor the late Kenneth Hill, and in return of this financial support, we have decided to rename the clinic portion of Ruth’s Place,” Billington said. “The clinic will now be named Ken Hill Health Center.”
The late Ken Hill was a 1971 graduate of the University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy. He later opened The Drug Store on the Granbury square in 1973. Hill embraced technology and was a leader in the pharmaceutical industry. As the founder and chairman of PDX, Inc.®, pc 1, National Health Information Network® (NHIN®), and many other paradigm-shifting companies including most recently EHR Data, Inc., he gained industry respect and helped change patient care for future generations.
Hill also served as Granbury mayor for two years and helped to establish the Granbury Hometown 4th of July Celebration. He passed away in 2020.
Billington said while the clinic will now operate under the new name of Ken Hill Health Center, all staff and board members will remain the same.
"We will still be Ruth's Place — that's our overarching 501(c)(3)," Billington said during the ceremony. “We still have the Ruth's Place Community Outreach Center and the Ruth's Place Food Pantry. Everything is still one cohesive unit and that's what we really want to stress to the community is that we are still Ruth's Place. We're still helping residents of Hood County receive health care. The Ken Hill Health Center will offer the same services, healthcare for uninsured residents of Hood County, just under a new name!”
During the renaming ceremony, Billington thanked Kenneth Hill Foundation CEO Jeff Farris for believing in Ruth’s Place.
“He met with us and made this all happen,” she said. “The Kenneth Hill Foundation has been very supportive of us.”
She also took the time to thank Ruth’s Place volunteers and board members for making sure patients feel welcome, that they know they’re not a burden and that they deserve healthcare too.
"I want to thank all of you that are fundraising and supporting us every single day and thank you to all the board members that are here today,” Billington added. “I don't remember if I recognized you guys, but they have been super supportive of me in my first year and helping Ruth's Place grow.”
STATISTICS AND OUTREACH
Using the catchy slogan, “We’re changing our name; the service is still the same,” Ruth’s Place continues to advocate for the community’s support.
In 2023, Ruth’s Place had 1,837 patient encounters — an 11% increase. The clinic also saw 242 new patients, which was a 128% increase for 2023.
Ruth’s Place Food Pantry distributed food to an average of 36 families per month in 2022. In 2023, food distribution increased 69% to 61 families per month. In January 2023, Ruth's Place served 37 families, ending with 84 in December. November was the highest month, with 95 families fed.
Each year, families must fill out a new application to receive the food distribution. Ruth’s Place ended 2022 with 40 families enrolled to receive weekly distribution; it ended 2023 with 125 families enrolled.
The Ken Hill Health Center is located at 1411 Crawford Ave., while the Ruth’s Place Community Outreach Center/Food Pantry is in Oak Trail Shores at 2723 Maplewood St. The food pantry is open every Thursday from 1-5 p.m.
For more information about the Ken Hill Health Center or Ruth’s Place, visit ruthsplace.org online or call 817-573-6800.
