Jackson, MS — Converge: Partners in Access is thrilled to announce that it has been selected to receive a multimillion-dollar grant from Pivotal Ventures, the philanthropy organization founded by Melinda French Gates. This grant will expand the organization’s service delivery and community engagement work that are already making a measurable impact across Mississippi and Tennessee. Converge plans to expand reproductive health care access to high priority communities in Tennessee, Alabama, and Louisiana.
“With this generous investment, Converge will be able to deepen its commitment to communities across the Deep South, ensuring more people can access the care they deserve from trusted providers,” said Danielle Lampton, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of Converge. “In a region where communities have long suffered barriers to care and accurate information, this investment represents a powerful step toward ensuring that everyone, regardless of where they live, has the support and resources they desire to live their best lives.”
The award is part of a $250 million commitment by Pivotal through its Action for Women’s Health initiative, which aims to improve women’s physical and mental health across the United States.
The award announcement comes one day before Converge, the Title X grantee in Mississippi and Tennessee, plans to open its first brick-and-mortar clinic at the Jackson Medical Mall. This new clinic comes at a critical time when major health care providers recently announced plans to relocate from the Mall to suburban areas, deepening the health care gap in one of Jackson’s most underserved communities.
“Community is the lifeblood of our work, and we live that value every day by striving to ensure that essential health care reaches those who need it most,” said Jamie Bardwell, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of Converge. “This expansion marks a major milestone in Converge’s mission to make reproductive health care accessible and affordable, no matter where you live. We are deeply honored and profoundly grateful to be among the organizations Ms. French Gates is supporting.”
***
Converge was founded by two Mississippi women with a bold vision: that everyone in the South, regardless of where they live, how much money they have, or their health status, deserves access to reproductive and sexual health care that truly meets their needs.
Converge supports a clinical network of care across Mississippi and Tennessee. We collaborate closely with health care providers, clinics, and community partners to ensure that high-quality reproductive and sexual health care is not only affordable, but sustainable and responsive to the lived experiences of women and men in the South.
At the heart of Converge’s work is GetPersonal — Mississippi’s first and only telehealth program that also provides in-person clinical care. Designed to ensure that everyone has access to high-quality sexual and reproductive health services, GetPersonal offers free to low-cost care, including STI testing and treatment, contraceptive care, basic infertility and more, regardless of income or insurance status. Converge was born in the South and built for it. We understand the complexities and the strengths of our region, and we’re committed to making sure everyone has access to the care that’s right for them. Learn more at www.convergeaccess.org.
Date posted: November 12, 2025
Contact: Audrey Sandusky, Vice President of Communications and Marketing, asandusky@convergeaccess.org