Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, which will soon open the Haverhill Family Health Center and related pharmacy at 755 Main St., is one of 30 local nonprofits to share in $10 million in funding from Cummings Foundation.
The 40-year-old organization will receive $500,000 over 10 years to support its mobile health unit which provides health care to the homeless throughout the Merrimack Valley. GLFHC also has five health centers and pharmacies in Lawrence and Methuen. The organization uses a comprehensive care service delivery model tailored to meet the needs of the target population – economically disadvantaged, minorities and working poor. All services are linguistically and culturally sensitive to patients’ needs.
“Greater Lawrence Family Health Center is honored to once again receive a grant from the Cummings Foundation. This long-term funding for our Mobile Health Unit will help us to not only continue meeting the needs of the most vulnerable—our area’s homeless, but also expand our outreach to ensure that we are serving as many people as possible and providing the health care they need and deserve,” said GLFHC President and CEO John Silva.
The mobile health unit serves more than 1,000 patients a year, and the Cummings Foundation grant will enable the unit to make more frequent visits to places along its route and add new locations. Services provided include primary and other specialized care, substance addiction treatment and behavioral health counseling.
“Greater Boston and the Merrimack Valley are so fortunate to have nonprofits like Greater Lawrence Family Health Center that are listening to the community and working to meet its needs,” said Cummings Foundation grants manager Christina Berthelsen. “By providing a full decade of support, we hope to alleviate some of the constant fundraising burden, enabling nonprofit staff to spend more time actually providing services.”