Our Beginnings
From a Dream to a Reality -- For Our Community and for Our Future
March, 2004: A core group of interested Patrick County citizens meet to discuss the need of providing medical care assistance to medically uninsured citizens of the county. A “steering committee” forms to identify the needs and to form a non-profit entity designed to provide such services. The steering committee identifies the needs as being primary medical treatment (regardless of an individual’s ability to pay for such services), medical screening, and a referral resource for the community and other service organizations.*
April 22, 2004: The steering committee elects a Board of Directors, an Executive Committee and submits Articles of Incorporation to the State of Virginia for the “Caring Hearts Free Clinic of Patrick County”. *
May 10, 2004: Corporation status is granted the Caring Hearts Free Clinic of Patrick County.*
Summer, 2004: The Governing Board of PCH Operations, LLC, dba R.J. Reynolds Patrick County Memorial Hospital provides space in a clinic building at no charge as a site for the clinic’s operation. The United Methodist Church Danville District provides medical office furniture and equipment to the clinic. These gifts were previously given by Dr. Castillo for the purpose of establishing a free clinic upon his retirement.*
September, 2004: A community fund raising dinner is held in late September 2004 and the clinic also begins receiving contributions from the community.*
November, 2004: Caring Hearts Free Clinic begins limited operations.*
December, 2004: Volunteer personnel provide services covering medical care, nursing care, counseling, optometry, pain management and mammography screening.
March 22, 2005: Caring Hearts Free Clinic of Patrick County advised that it had been granted an exemption from Federal income tax under section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, that contributions to the Free Clinic were deductible under section 170 of the Code and that the Free Clinic was qualified to receive tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers or gifts under section 2055, 2106 or 2522 of the Code. Caring Hearts Free Clinic of Patrick County is determined to be a public charity under the Code.*
February, 2006: Caring Hearts Free Clinic of Patrick County becomes a member of the Virginia Association of Free Clinics.
Spring, 2006: Caring Hearts Free clinic receives an endowment trust following the sale of RJR-PC Memorial Hospital.
September 1, 2006: Caring Hearts Free Clinic of Patrick County hires its first part-time Executive Director.
April, 2007: Caring Hearts Free Clinic opens its door for its first day clinics. Clinics are held two mornings a week. Day clinics are closed one year later due to a shortage of medical personnel.
Fall, 2008: Day clinics reopen two mornings a week. A Dental Triage service is made available with the aid of three local hygienists; two Patrick County dentists each offer to work with four critical patients a month. Through the efforts of volunteer medical and lay staffing, a Women’s Health Clinic is provided approximately every six weeks.
Spring, 2010: Appointment clinic now available on first and third Thursday nights with a Physician's Assistant.
Fall, 2010: Appointment clinic open each Tuesday with a Family Nurse Practitioner.
*Historical data provided by Harold Edwards, CHFC Treasurer, 2004 --2010