Grant will help health clinic meet demand
By Kevin Huelsmann, Jackson Hole, Wyo.
September 7, 2009
The Community Foundation of Jackson Hole has donated $20,000 to the Teton Free Clinic to help defray the increasing costs of a rising patient load.
The grant is meant to help pay for additional medication, diabetes and lab testing supplies, office supplies and an automated external defibrillator.
Every Tuesday evening, the clinic provides free, basic health care services — such as exams, X-rays and prescriptions — to low-income, uninsured people who live or work in the Jackson Hole area.
Clinic staff members have estimated operating costs will double this year because of a spike in the number of patients coming to the clinic.
The clinic, which is at the Family Practice Associates office on Broadway, is largely staffed by volunteer physicians and is funded through private donations and grants.
The grant money awarded to the clinic comes from a program that the foundation started this past March to commemorate its 20th anniversary.
“We decided that the money we would spend on a fundraising dinner, given the current economy, would be better used to help fund organizations whose needs are increasing,” said Nicki Rasch McDermott, the special-events and marketing officer for the foundation.
The foundation’s program, called the Economic Response Initiative, aims to help local social service organizations that serve an increased number of people as a result of the poor economy.
The foundation has a special committee that reviews applications, McDermott said.
“There isn’t a set deadline or anything,” McDermott said. “Whenever an organization needs money, they just fill out an application and our committee will review it. The program was built to be less restrictive than our competitive grants.”
The fund largely focuses on helping organizations that provide food, shelter, safety, emergency financial assistance or health care to struggling individuals and families.
Foundation members initially set a goal to raise $150,000 but have already surpassed that. The group has raised more than $180,000 to date, McDermott said.
The program has already given out about $105,000 to various organizations in the area. Donations have already been made to help fund an emergency financial support program at the Community Resource Center, to support a crisis outreach program at the Jackson Food Cupboard and help pay for a weekly meal at the Senior Center of Jackson Hole, among several other projects.
The grant awarded to the clinic is the second largest amount given under the new program.
