One million reasons to be grateful

The Humana Foundation grant

Image of 2 people's hands holding a heart, implying care and generosity.

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 Center

  • 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

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