Western Berks Free Medical Clinic gets $25,000 grant to expand services
Jun. 7—The Western Berks Free Medical Clinic has been awarded a $25,000 grant through the Highmark Foundation to help the nonprofit as it seeks to expand its services.
The Robesonia-based organization will use the funding to support its plans to double the number of uninsured individuals receiving services by opening and maintaining a second clinic in Reading. The proposed clinic will be on the Kenhorst Boulevard campus of Mary's Shelter because of its proximity to so many medically-underserved adults, officials said.
Opening later this year, the satellite is expected to accommodate an additional 100 patients monthly for those seeking primary care, reproductive health and chronic disease management.
The Highmark Foundation, a private charitable organization headquartered in Pittsburgh, provides funding to health care organizations that improve outcomes for residents and communities served by Highmark and its affiliates. The foundation's grant recognizes the challenges faced every day and especially since the COVID-19 global pandemic by Western Berks as a safety net provider for people without health insurance.
Under the direction of an all-volunteer board, more than 100 community volunteers and two part-time staff members have provided services through more than 10,000 encounters since the clinic opened its doors in 2002. Its strategic plan is to expand the success of its service delivery system with a second location in order to impact the well-being of even more uninsured residents who live or work in Reading.
