• At free clinics throughout the country, family physicians have devoted countless hours to coping with the ever-evolving demands of the COVID-19 pandemic. The shift to telemedicine. New requirements for PPE. Increased patient load. Decreased staffing. The list goes on and on.

    In May, as these challenges became increasingly apparent, The Humana Foundation stepped up, awarding a $1 million grant to the AAFP Foundation’s COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund. The money was targeted to provide emergency and general assistance for free clinics supported by the Foundation’s signature humanitarian program, Family Medicine Cares USA.

    The Foundation had already distributed $1,000 grants to 42 free clinics, a pandemic response enabled by support from the Eisai and Pfizer Foundations. With the generous $1 million grant from The Humana Foundation, we were able to provide additional rounds of larger grants. The funding targeted communities with high need and socioeconomic indicators known to contribute to health disparity.

    Physicians and staff have responded with heartfelt appreciation for all the assistance.

    “The emergency grant was really a lifesaver for us,” says Radhika Kakarala, MD, MS, at the Genesee County Free Medical Clinic in Flint, Mich. “Our main funding used to come from a 5K walk/run fundraiser, but with the pandemic that has taken a big hit because most people weren’t able to participate. In contrast, the number of patients we see at the clinic has exponentially increased because of people losing jobs or losing their insurance.”

    “The funds and support will help us adapt and become sustainable,” says Sarah Gray, executive director of the Helping Hands Health & Wellness Center in Columbus, Ohio. “We’ll be investing in our hybrid telehealth model, and making sure our technology is maintained throughout the period that we’re doing this.”

    Sitting in an exam room where clear shower curtains hang as a protective barrier, Gray says it’s hard to find words to express the clinic’s gratitude.

    Thank you is not enough, but it’s all I have,” she says. “Our small but mighty clinic appreciates this grant more than thank you will ever say.”

    From all of us, a mighty “Thank You” to The Humana Foundation! Your generosity has helped patients around the country. Grant recipients include:  

    AdventHealth Community Medicine Clinic

    Asheville Clinic

    Bluffton Jasper County Volunteers in Medicine

    Brooklyn Free Clinic

    Camden Community Health Center

    Campbell Univ Community Care Clinic

    Cape VIM

    Clackamas Volunteers in Medicine - Founders Clinic

    Clinica Del Sur

    Clinica Mi Salud

    Clinica Tepati

    Coachella Valley VIM

    Columbia-Harlem Homeless Medical Partnership

    Community Volunteers in Medicine

    Cornerstone Community Health, Inc Free Clinic

    CrossOver Healthcare Ministry

    Free Clinic of Meridian

    Gennesaret Free Clinic, Inc

    Good Neighbor Health Clinic

    Grace Medical Home

    Greenville Free

    Health 4 All

    Hearts&Hands Clinic

    Hope Clinic of Garland, Inc.

    Hope Medical Clinic

    Houston Outreach Medicine, Educ, and Soc. Svc. (HOMES)

    IAMACF/NLVS

    Just in Time

    Lestonnac Free Clinic - Main Location (Orange)

    MedZou Community Health Clinic

    Mission Travis Mercy

    Mollie R. Wheat Memorial

    Montgomery County Free Clinic, Inc.

    Parker Family Health

    Saint Peters Community Free Clinic

    Salud Sin Fronteras Student Run Free Clinic

    Shade Tree Clinic

    SOAR SRFC

    Southeast Indiana Health Center

    Space Coast Volunteers in Medicine

    St. Vincent de Paul Medical & Dental Clinic

    Still Caring Health Connection

    Three Angels, Inc.

    TriCity Health 

    University of Arizona Mobile Health Program

    UR Well

    VIM Dearborn Ohio Switzerland Counties

    Volusia Volunteers in Medicine

    Wheeling Health Right, Inc.

    Health Resource Center

    Guadalupe Clinic, Inc.

    Gennesaret Free Clinics- Westminster Clinic

    Genessee County Free Medical Clinic

    Martha's Clinic

    Interprofessional Community Clinic at Rosalind Franklin University Health Clinic

    Iowa City Free Medical Clinic

    Helping Hands Health and Wellness Ctr

    VIM Christian County

    The Free Clinic of Meridian

    Cura for the World - Oklahoma

    Good Shepherd Ministries of Oklahoma

    Volunteers in Medicine

    Ozanam Inn Tulane Weekend Clinic

    Clínica Esperanza/Hope Clinic

    Rhode Island Free Clinic

    Culture of Life Ministries

    Portland Street Medicine

    Good Samaritan Clinic

    His Hands Free Clinic

    Martin Luther King Health Center

    Family Community Clinic, Inc.

    Volunteers in Medicine Jacksonville

    Indiana University Outreach Clinic

    C-ASIST Free Family Health Clinic 

    Scotland Community Health Clinic

    Sojourner Health Center