SUCCESS – NCHS Match Met!

This pictures captures the presentation of a $20,000 check from the Montgomery County Medical Trust that pushed the fund-raising total over $300,000, which now qualifies the Clinic for a $900,000 grant from North Central Health Services. In the photo are (from left): Suanne Milligan (Montgomery County Free Clinic Fund Raising Chair), Kelly Taylor (Montgomery County Community Foundation), Dr. Janet Rucker (Board President, Montgomery County Free Clinic), Jill Rogers (Board member, Montgomery County Medical Trust), Chris Amidon (President, Christian Nursing Service), and Bill Doemel (Executive Director, Montgomery County Free Clinic)

December 7, 2012

Immediate Release

Free Clinic Surpasses First Significant Goal

Crawfordsville, IN — The Montgomery County Free Clinic has reached one of its two significant fund-raising goals, and now qualifies for a $900,000 matching grant from North Central Health Services (NCHS).

MCFC Executive Director Bill Doemel announced Thursday that a $300,000 goal had been met when the Montgomery County Medical Trust (MCT) donated $20,000 to help establish the Dr. Mary Ludwig Free Clinic on Mill Street. In order to qualify for the NCHS grant, the community had to raise $300,000 on its own.

Fund-raising began in earnest with a public kickoff in June. At that event, the Medical Care Trust presented a first check of $10,000 to get the fund-raising drive started.

“How appropriate and exciting it is that before the year was out, the Medical Trust gave an additional $20,000, which brought the total received to more than $300,000,” said Doemel.

“The Medical Care Trust enthusiastically supports the efforts of the Dr. Mary Ludwig Free Clinic,” said MCT Board member Jill Rogers. “The MCT’s mission is to help provide healthcare access to the medically underserved in our community. The Clinic will play a key role in addressing this mission, and we are thankful for all of those who have worked to make this clinic become a reality.”

The Free Clinic grew out of the long-standing work of the Christian Nursing Service, which for 45 years has served uninsured citizens of Montgomery County. Unable to sustain its work without a physician, CNS volunteers worked with community leaders and local healthcare professionals to develop a plan for the Free Clinic based on the Volunteers in Medicine model.

“This is a very exciting time for all of associated with the Christian Nursing Service and Free Clinic,” said CNS President Chris Amidon. “From our volunteers to the many individuals and groups that have supported our fund-raising efforts, it’s clear that there is a need for the services the Clinic will provide and this community has risen to the challenge in support of those needs.”

The Free Clinic Board sought and received a grant from North Central Health Services in Lafayette for a new facility for medical and dental examination rooms, but in offering the grant, NCHS challenged the community to support the clinic, The clinic is named in honor of Dr. Mary Ludwig, who provided free physician services to the Christian Nursing Service throughout her career.

“I’m proud to say that we’ve reached our $300,000 goal,” said Doemel. “Thus far 51% of our funding has come from 254 individuals, 30% from foundations, 12% from churches, 5% from groups, and 1% from businesses. We couldn’t be more excited to say that this is a Montgomery County project supported by Montgomery County residents to support our neighbors.”

Last summer, the MCFC purchased the Main Source Bank Building on Mill Street. Renovation of that facility is now underway and Doemel believes it will be operational by mid-summer.

“The Montgomery County Community Foundation congratulates the Montgomery County Free Clinic for its superb efforts in raising support to bring quality medical care to our uninsured neighbors which was accomplished through the overwhelming generosity of our community,” said Kelly Taylor, who is the Executive Director of the MCCF.

In spite of the good news in reaching the NCHS challenge grant, there is a second, significant fund-raising goal to meet. Doemel said the Free Clinic Board has set a $350,000 goal for an operational fund. “While we have sufficient funds for the building itself, we now need operational funds since we receive no funding from the federal government.”

Approximately $50,000 has been raised toward the operations goal.

“While we’ve reached a key goal, another remains,” said MCFC Board President Dr. Janet Rucker. “As people think about ways to reward employees for their service, honor loved ones, or think about philanthropic holiday gifts, why not consider a gift to the Dr. Mary Ludwig Clinic through the Montgomery County Community Foundation? Doing so will help assure that the promise to provide health care to the uninsured will be fulfilled.”

Distribution of Contributions