- Hope Clinic plans to relocate from Pamlico County Health Department
- Serves uninsured, underinsured in three counties
- Offers ‘naming rights’ for generous donors
BAYBORO – Hope Clinic, which provides free health care to low-income uninsured and underinsured residents of Pamlico, Craven and Beaufort counties, is getting a home it can call its own for the first time in its 25-year history – and the ability to serve more people who can’t afford care.
The clinic expects to move into its new quarters at 13808 N.C. 55 in Bayboro in January, after working out of space in the Pamlico County Health Department since February 1999. The clinic began as a medical mission outreach initiative of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Oriental in 1998.
“Our mission is to ensure that everyone in our community has access to high-quality, affordable health care regardless of ability to pay,” said Yolanda Cristiani, executive director of Hope Clinic. “This move will allow us to expand our services and hours of operation and ultimately serve more of our neighbors.”
The new space also creates the potential for an on-site dental clinic, Cristiani said. Expanding access to oral health care is a major focus of the North Carolina Association of Free and Charitable Clinics, a network including Hope Clinic and 68 other independent member clinics statewide.
Hope Clinic is accepting new patients who meet its eligibility requirements. The clinic serves adult residents of Pamlico, Craven and Beaufort counties who are between the ages of 18 and 64, are uninsured or underinsured, and have household incomes at or below 300% of the poverty level.
Those interested in becoming a patient can contact Clinic Support Coordinator Kim Stewart at (252) 745-5760, extension 100.
To support Hope Clinic and its patients, the SJ Edwards Foundation and Gregory and Janet Smith have each generously pledged $25,000 in matching dollars to supplement other donations the clinic is able to raise and naming opportunities at the new location are available.
Hope Clinic will also need assistance outfitting the much larger space, and some small items can be ordered from its Amazon Wish List. Please email yolanda@hopeclinic.net for her suggestions!
