Emergency Disaster Relief: Helping Clinics, Helping Patients

At the NAFC, our work is inextricably tied to that of the free and charitable clinics and pharmacies we support. So, when disaster strikes, we are there and ready to provide these organizations with the guidance and resources they need to get back on their feet quickly and be able to assist and support their communities.  

In December 2021, tornadoes ripped across the country, devastating countless communities.  Natural disasters like these often leave clinics with damage of their own or without the resources they need to support the thousands of medically underserved and uninsured patients in their communities that turn to them for help and support. 

A Clinic in Need of Emergency Disaster Relief

One such clinic, Helping Hands of Tennessee, experienced the full force of the powerful December tornadoes. In the aftermath of the storms, the facility suffered significant damage, resulting in a dramatic loss in revenue and an urgent need for financial assistance.

The damage that the facility experienced was extensive, impacting all levels of the institution and, in turn, its patients. As a result of the property damage caused by the tornadoes as well as state closures due to subsequent snowfall, the Helping Hands of Tennessee struggled with financial setbacks and a simultaneous rise in COVID cases among its staff. 

Supporting Our NAFC Members

To support Helping Hands of Tennessee and enable the clinic to continue providing life-changing support to their neighbors in need, the NAFC connected the clinic with emergency funding and with NAFC partners as part of its Disaster Relief program. Helping Hands of Tennessee gained financial relief needed to work on repairing damage and replenishing the destroyed equipment and supplies. Today, the clinic is working on completing all of the repairs as it continues to provide care for the hundreds of patients that rely on the facility’s assistance each year. 

“The National Association of Free and Charitable Clinic immediately put together a call to action to ensure that member clinics received the resources and assistance that we needed,” said Sabrina Blue, the Founder & CEO of Helping Hands of Tennessee. “You and your teammates made sure that you provided immediate funding in our time of need. Please accept our gratitude as a token of our appreciation for your assistance during this time.We are proud members, and we are so thankful to have such amazing partners.”

The NAFC is dedicated to supporting our member clinics and pharmacies to further their efforts in providing the nation’s medically underserved and uninsured with access to affordable healthcare. It is grateful for all its partners and donors that make it possible to support its members on the frontlines in communities throughout the country.

To learn more about the work of the NAFC and our members, please visit our website today.