ALACHUA COUNTY, FL - On Tuesday, July 1, 2014, Alachua County Board of County Commissioners approved a contract with Charles Perry Partners, Inc. (CPPI) to serve as the Construction Manager for the renovation of a building that will ultimately become the SW Health Clinic (816 SW 64th Terrace, Gainesville, off of SW 20th Avenue, near the I-75 overpass). This clinic will serve the entire SW area of Gainesville, but will place special emphasis on providing care to the SWAG neighborhoods. The area consists of thousands of low income families who have been lacking access to health care.
See data about the need for a health clinic in this area
Donors to the project include: the Alachua County Commission ($190,000), the Florida Blue Foundation (a three year, $300,000 IMPACT Grant), SWAG (approximately $40,000 in private donations to date, including substantial donations from Tower Hill Insurance and Infinite Energy), the Rotary Club of Gainesville ($60,000 in proceeds from the Wild Game Feast), the Alachua Area Medical Reserve Corps, Dr. Bill Martin of Martin Kids Dental and Orthodontics (four dental chairs and two x-ray machines) and numerous other private entities.
"This project will change the health outlook of an entire community." says Dorothy Thomas, SWAG Special Projects and Fundraising Chair. "Over 50% of the residents of the SWAG neighborhoods cite transportation as an obstacle to care, and this clinic, right within walking distance of their homes, removes this barrier. Over 35% of the people in these neighborhoods receive no routine medical care, or deal with health issues only when they reach a crisis and a trip to the ER is required.”
Until the permanent clinic is open, The Florida Department of Health in Alachua County is providing public health services in the parking lot of the future clinic on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Current services include adult primary care, family planning, STD testing and treatment, HIV testing, and communicable disease control. Pediatric services are pending. For more information on about the Florida Department of Health in Alachua County visit their website.
Health care professionals that are interested in volunteering in this clinic can contact Brad Caron at the Alachua Area Medical Reserve Corps at Brad.Caron@flhealth.gov.
View a before and after image of the SWAG Health Clinic building.
For more information, to volunteer, or donate money, construction supplies or medical equipment, visit the SWAG Health Clinic website or contact Dorothy Thomas at 352-505-6823 or dorothy.acee.thomas@gmail.com.