Crescent Community Clinic, a local organization that helps uninsured, low income people receive quality health care, has announced it will host a fundraising luncheon on Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022. The theme will be “Changing Leaves, Changing Lives.
“This luncheon is a critical event for us,” said Christina Reyes, the clinic’s executive director. “It’s a vital opportunity to boost our funds so we can continue to serve those in our community who do not have access to proper health care.”
Citing a survey carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that monitors the health of the nation, Reyes said the number of uninsured people in the US runs into several million — and the State of Florida is consistently one of the highest rated in the country.
“Too many Floridians are forced to choose between paying their bills or having adequate health coverage,” she said. “Having a job doesn’t necessarily guarantee access to health insurance or care – and government assistance programmes are negligible.”
Crescent Community Clinic has been providing health care for the uninsured residents of Hernando County since 2008. The services they provide include chronic health care, palliative, dental care and behavioral health.
Their Pharmaceutical Prescription Assistance program offers patients who cannot afford their medication to be enrolled to receive a year’s supply of free medication. Those who may have diabetes and cannot afford the cost of insulin at $10,000 a year, can be prescribed with a regular supply. Other patients with breathing problems or asthma are provided with inhalers; heart patients receive hypertension medication and mental health patients can access therapists and receive appropriate medication for their bi-polar, depression, anxiety or schizophrenia diagnoses.
The clinic also provides patients diagnosed with asthma, cancer, diabetes, COPD, epilepsy, heart disease, hypertension, pulmonary, urology and obesity access to our partner physicians at their private practices for health concerns.
“Thirteen years on and we’re still filling that healthcare gap,”said Reyes. This high level of care has been readily available because of the unwavering devotion of its volunteer team of physicians, healthcare experts and administrative professionals.
Such a high level of health care comes with a price though. The clinic is willing to accept that burden and supplements its budget with fundraising events and grants. Patients are also encouraged to donate what their resources allow.
But it is also made possible because of the generosity of donations from our community. “This is why our upcoming fundraising luncheon on Nov. 15 is so important,” said Reyes. “Our clinic does not receive government funding of any kind and relies entirely on donations from patients, businesses, social and service organizations, foundations and individuals,” she said. “We never turn anyone away due to their inability to donate.”
For the past few years however, the clinic has faced challenges because of the Covid pandemic, a weakened economy and a drop in donations. “The pandemic has had a significant financial impact all round,” she said. “People reeled in their giving and they haven’t quite unreeled yet.”
She further added that without the clinic, a lot of the people that we see would have no other alternative but to turn to public assistance and leave their jobs so they can be “poor” enough to receive free care. “Whilst the clinic is glad to reduce the strain on the health care system, our focus remains on giving people the basics they need to help themselves,”she added. “We want them to be healthy so they can work to improve their situation.”
