The Virginia Health Care Foundation (VHCF), in celebrating its 25th year, sponsored a “Prizes for Progress” contest for grant recipients to explain how foundation funds have made a difference in their services. Out of more than 35 entries, the NNMFHC tied for second and won a $10,000 prize.

The VHCF wrote: 

Half a million prescriptions filled, over 150,000 patient visits and $92 million worth of healthcare provided. These are only a few of the Northern Neck –Middlesex Free Health Clinic’s recent milestones.

Two decades after awarding the Clinic its first grant, the Virginia Health Care Foundation has recognized the Clinic for its progress over the years. Founded in 1993 as a small, one-night-a-week operation, the Clinic has used funding from VHCF and the community to transform into a large, full-time Clinic providing essential medical, dental, pharmacy and behavioral health services to uninsured and underserved residents in Lancaster, Middlesex, Northumberland, Richmond and Westmoreland counties.

The Clinic’s extraordinary expansion and considerable impact have won a $10,000 second-place prize in the VHCF’s recent Prizes for Progress contest.

“We established the Prizes for Progress contest as a special way to celebrate our 25^th anniversary and recognize our dedicated health safety net partners,” said Executive Director Debbie Oswalt. “Both current and former grantees were invited to share the ways in which VHCF funding has helped their organizations grow and succeed over the last 25 years.”

Out of dozens of compelling entries, the Clinic’s strategic use of VHCF funding and support was especially remarkable. VHCF’s first grant allowed the Clinic to hire a full-time nurse practitioner, making it possible for the Clinic to start seeing patients five days a week. With the next grant, the Clinic was able to build, staff and operate its first six-chair Dental Clinic, which opened to a waiting list of 500 people.

Additional VHCF grants were similarly invested in the Clinic’s growth and expansion, and now the Clinic offers everything from integrated behavioral healthcare to dental services.

The Clinic’s submission can be found at the foundation website, www.vhcf.org.