DePaul Community Health Centers (DCHC) was recently awarded an infusion of $50,000 in emergency grant funding from the medical aid organization Direct Relief, in partnership with the National Association of Community Health Centers. DCHC was among 518 federally qualified health centers to receive funding through Direct Relief’s $25 million COVID-19 Fund for Community Health, which recognizes the profound effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the finances, services, staff, and patients of community health centers.
“Access to primary care is what keeps people healthy and out of the hospital, and the frontline work of DePaul Community Health Centers and other nonprofit community health centers across the U.S. is more critical than ever with the onset of COVID-19,” said Direct Relief President and CEO Thomas Tighe. “Direct Relief is doing everything possible to bolster the work and support the staffs at the safety-net health facilities on which so many patients and their families rely for excellent care and trust for advice in this public health emergency.”
“We thank Direct Relief for recognizing the importance of community health centers, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds will greatly help us to assist more individuals in underserved populations. Many of these persons have been adversely impacted by the pandemic, and Direct Relief’s support aids us in treating them,” said Michael G. Griffin, president/CEO of DCHC.