AMA Foundation names Healthy Communities/Healthy America recipients

For immediate release
July 1, 2008

CHICAGO — In an effort to address the growing problem of the uninsured and to recognize physician volunteerism, the American Medical Association (AMA) Foundation has presented 16 outstanding free clinics from across the country with grants ranging from $12,000 to $25,000.

Because of the approximately 46.6 million Americans without health insurance, hundreds of communities nationwide have developed free clinics. These non-profit clinics bring together health care professionals and other community volunteers to offer free or low cost health care to low-income, uninsured and underinsured people. Funding is generally raised on the local level and there is little if any government funding or support.

"We are pleased to honor the exceptional achievements of these free clinics and their dedication to providing quality, affordable health care," said Jean Howard, AMA Foundation President. "As the AMA advocates to expand medical coverage for the uninsured, the AMA Foundation supports their efforts by recognizing free clinics that demonstrate excellence in physician and community volunteerism, resourcefulness, sustainability, and leveraging partnerships."

The Healthy Communities/Healthy America program is supported in part by a generous grant from Pfizer Inc. Pfizer partners with healthcare providers, governments, and local communities around the world, as well as with organizations like the AMA Foundation to expand access to medicines and to provide better quality health care and health system support.

Recipients of the 2008 Healthy Communities/Healthy America grants are:

• Community Health-In-Partnership Services St. Louis, Mo.
• Community Volunteers in Medicine West Chester, Pa.
• DuPage Community Clinic Wheaton, Ill.
• Ebenezer Medical Outreach, Inc. Huntington, W.Va.
• Free Medical Clinic of Greater Cleveland Cleveland, Ohio
• Health Care Access, Inc. Lawrence, Kan.
• Hope Medical Clinic, Inc. Ypsilanti, Mich.
• Hope Within Community Health Center Elizabethtown, Pa.
• Kansas City Free Health Clinic Kansas City, Mo.
• Martin Luther King Health Center Shreveport, La.
• Milan Puskar Health Right Morgantown, W.Va.
• Mountain View RotaCare Free Clinic Mountain View, Calif.
• Open Door Health Center Homestead, Fla.
• San José Clinic Houston, Texas
• Social Welfare Board St. Joseph, Mo.
• The Clinic Phoenixville, Pa.

As the philanthropic arm of the American Medical Association, the AMA Foundation supports a broad range of programs in medical education, research and public health. Please visit www.amafoundation.org or call
(312) 464-4200 for more information.

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For more information, please contact:

Leah Dudowicz
AMA Media Relations
(312) 464-4813