Cocktail Event Celebrates MyClinic “Building a Lasting Legacy” for its Patients and Surpassing Capital Campaign’s Halfway Mark

 

 

MyClinic, the only free clinic in northern Palm Beach County, hosted a cocktail event to honor donors and celebrate community milestones on Thursday, March 14. More than  120 supporters, donors and volunteers gathered to learn about new developments at MyClinic, tour the facility and meet volunteers and people who have benefitted from the free medical services the clinic provides. Besides honoring its major donors, MyClinic announced it has surpassed the halfway mark in its effort to raise $1.64 million to eliminate debt associated with the purchase of the clinic’s 5,000-square-foot medical office building. 

 

MyClinic’s Building a Lasting Legacy Campaign was launched to support the clinic’s efforts to raise the remaining $580,000 needed for the clinic to operate completely debt free and to fuel MyClinic’s future growth in its goal to provide outstanding, compassionate healthcare for even more patients in need in the community. The campaign provides the chance for interested philanthropists to invest in naming opportunities for the MyClinic building. 

 

Taking the lead, MyClinic’s Chairman Dr. Ron Surowitz and Vice-Chair Douglas Brown each generously invested in MyClinic’ future. The dedication of the Dr. Surowitz Family Medical Care Wing and the Ann & Douglas Brown Lobby was part of the festivities.  Two additional exam rooms were dedicated in appreciation of The Drourr Family (Dr. Catherine Drourr is also a MyClinic’s medical director and board member) and in appreciation of Karen Baum.

 

Dr. Ron Surowitz is founding MyClinic board member and chair, as well as an active MyClinic volunteer physician. His passion for helping those in need dates back many years to his volunteer work in an underserved area of western Palm Beach County. He and his family generously donated additional space in a nearby building for MyClinic to use for educational programs and group meetings. Dr. Surowitz, who maintains a family medicine practice in Jupiter, is a member of Jupiter Medical Center’s medical staff. 

 

 “My vision years ago was to make a difference in this community. When I saw the testimonies of patients in the video of how lives have been impacted and several lives saved at MyClinic, I knew that all the years of perseverance had paid off. At MyClinic we make a real difference in the lives of the less fortunate,” said Dr. Surowitz, MyClinic Chairman. “It is said that showing kindness to the poor is equal to honoring your maker. We thank all those who support MyClinic and who volunteer here from the bottom of our hearts. Over 2500 registered patients receive great, compassionate medical care because of your generosity,” he added.  

 

Douglas Brown is a retired business executive who is a founding MyClinic board member and vice chair of the board. Mr. Brown’s expertise in the areas of strategic planning and visioning, along with strong community relationships, has made him an invaluable asset to MyClinic. Together with his wife, Ann, Doug has made significant contributions to MyClinic’s Building Fund. 

 

“MyClinic is one of the very few not-for-profits I support where I’ve had the chance to look in the eyes of the people we help, see their gratitude and know that it makes a difference for all those we touch. The staff here is remarkable and the patients often get better care and attention than with concierge medicine. MyClinic offers a wonderful, caring environment and it’s been an extraordinary journey for me and the ones who have joined us early on to see how far we’ve already come,” commented Douglas Brown, MyClinic Vice-Chair in his speech. 

 

The event was emceed by Don Hearing, MyClinic founding Board member, who provided information about MyClinic’s history and milestones and acknowledged Jupiter Medical Center’s ongoing support, including presenting sponsor of this event. Mr. Hearing informed guests that MyClinic’s medical building officially opened in March 2017 and serves as a medical home to thousands of patients in need. More than 170 volunteers including doctors, nurses, dentists, chiropractors, pharmacists, scribes and others generously donate their time and expertise to enable MyClinic to provide adult and pediatric primary care, specialty care, behavioral health counseling, as well as a variety of complementary services (care coordination, medication counseling, diabetes education, medical-legal counseling) and referrals for urgent dental care as well as free lab and imaging services.

 

The building also creates a unique access point with the first-of-its kind co-location of a free clinic (MyClinic) and a federally qualified health center (CL Brumback Primary Care Clinic operated by the Health Care District of Palm Beach County), which leases one half of the facility from MyClinic. The building consists of a total of 15 exam rooms, a lobby and registration area, a triage room, a nurses’ station and full service pharmacy operated by the Health Care District.

 

The current MyClinic building represents the third phase in a process that initiated in 2012, when the collaborative Jupiter Volunteer Clinic (JVC) began operations on Saturday mornings within the Jupiter Auxiliary Health Center (Florida Health Palm Beach County) with 20 volunteers providing care to approximately 380 patients. The JVC was recognized as a Community Outreach Hero by the Palm Beach County Medical Society. 

 

In January 2014, MyClinic formally began operations as an independent, not for profit free clinic located in a 1344 square-foot temporary modular building. With the addition of several volunteer specialists and referral services providing care to 1740 patients, MyClinic quickly outgrew this space. 

 

Today, the not-for-profit clinic (which was named Non Profit of the Year 2017 by Non-Profits First) attracts patients from across Palm Beach County, logging more than 7,100 annual patient visits. In 2018, the value of donated in-kind services was estimated at $770,000. This includes the work of first-rate volunteer physicians, dentists, nurses and medication counselors, as well as a significant number of lab and imaging services provided free of charge by Jupiter Medical Center.

 

About MyClinic

As the only not-for-profit free clinic in northern Palm Beach County, MyClinic provides a comprehensive array of health services for uninsured children and adults who have limited financial resources. Thanks to community support and more than 170 dedicated volunteers, MyClinic has become a medical home to more than 2500 patients. 

 

MyClinic patients are people whose family income is at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level and do not have health insurance. They do not qualify for government programs and cannot afford to purchase private insurance. Many MyClinic patients are hardworking individuals who have jobs at local business establishments, but do not receive health benefits. Others may have lost their health insurance due to unemployment or family situations. Whatever the reason, patients at MyClinic are our neighbors, and they are grateful that MyClinic is there to serve as their safety net. For more information, please visit www.myclinicjupiter.org or call 561 203 7511.