Perdue grant helps group provide free medical care, education

Perdue Farms, through a $5,000 grant funded by the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, is helping Pennsylvania’s Lebanon Valley Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) provide free medical care and education to thousands of underserved Lebanon County residents.
“This generous contribution from the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation is an investment in the health and well-being of those we serve,” said Linda Jackson, executive director of Lebanon Valley Volunteers in Medicine Clinic. “VIM provides free medical care and education to those who otherwise would not have access to a physician, prescription medications and diagnostic testing. Free clinics such as VIM are the safety net providers of free healthcare for uninsured and underinsured members of our community. We are grateful for this gift which will directly impact the lives of our patients.”
In 2013, the clinic provided more than 7,500 free medical treatments and that number is expected to increase in 2014, according to Jackson.
“There are more than 10,000 Lebanon County residents without health insurance and many are finding their way to our clinic for care. Our goal is to care for them all, but we cannot do that without financial support,” she said.
As Kim Nechay, executive director of the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, said, “Lebanon Valley Volunteers in Medicine meets critical needs in this area. The Arthur W. Perdue Foundation is honored to be able to provide a grant to enhance their reach in the community at this time.”
During the summer of 2008, a small group of concerned Lebanon County residents began discussing the idea of establishing a clinic for the uninsured and underinsured of Lebanon County. Convened by Bob Phillips, a member of the board of trustees of the Good Samaritan Health System and a member of the board of directors of the Francis J. Dixon Foundation, the group included area physicians, representatives from the Good Samaritan Health System, and interested community business leaders.
In December of 2008, after reviewing numerous models, the highly successful model Volunteers in Medicine group model was chosen and the organization was promptly incorporated as a non-profit organization. The clinic is located on South 8th St. in Lebanon, Pennsylvania.