Christ Clinic begins construction of new clinic

Christ Clinic will break ground at 11 a.m., Tuesday, May 6, at 2410 N. Monroe, to begin construction of a 4,800-square-foot clinic adjacent to Christ Kitchen.

The two ministries were previously both located together at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2709 W. Boone.  Christ Kitchen grew out of concern of a volunteer counselor at Christ Clinic that many women who came as patients needed job skills.

Christ Clinic, which is still at the church, opened in April 1991, sponsored by the Christian Medical and Dental Society, to offer basic, ongoing medical care to the under-insured, uninsured and working poor people.  

Ten physicians currently volunteer their services, assisted by a part-time staff nurse practitioner.  Patients pay on a sliding scale to help maintain the clinic.

The clinic sees about 10 patients a day and turns away 10 to 15 more, said Monica Meyerhofer, development director. 

Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays, and 9 a.m. to noon, Fridays, it has a patient base of 4,000 and anticipates the new facility will initially add 1,000 patients.  In the next three years, they expect to triple the number of patients they can serve.

Monica is working to raise $3.1 million for the building, which will expand Christ Clinic from three to six exam rooms plus a counselor’s office for mental health care.  They had raised $1.4 million by the end of April.

At the groundbreaking, the clinic will launch a “A Place of Healing, A Vision of Hope” capital campaign to raise the remaining funds.  Their goal is to occupy the new building in November.

About two years ago, Christ Kitchen moved to 2410 N. Monroe, with the vision that Christ Clinic would join them at that location, building the new clinic to serve low-income people.

While volunteering with Christ Clinic, Jan Martinez, director of Christ Kitchen, decided to respond to the needs of women she counseled there and started Christ Kitchen in 1997. 

The program began in the fellowship hall across from the clinic, starting with a few women coming Thursdays for about six hours for work and Bible study.

The women package dry foods, baking mixes and soups to sell.  Eventually, they began catering meals with their products.

Christ Kitchen provides work, job training and fellowship for women in poverty.  The nonprofit ministry sells food products and gift baskets.

For information, call 325-0393.

Copyright © May 2008 - The Fig Tree