Caridad Center

In FY 2022/2023, Caridad Center provided medical, dental, vision, behavioral health, social services, and health education services to more than 7,500 uninsured and underinsured individuals and 83,400 patient visits across all services to those living in Palm Beach County. Volunteer physicians and specialists provided primary care, as well as specialty services including Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Ear, Nose & Throat, Ophthalmology, Gastroenterology, Minor Surgery, Pediatrics, Mental & Behavioral Health and Women's Health. The Dental Clinic provided 9,574 procedures for children and adults, including basic services and specialty care, such as Endodontics and Periodontics. Our Mental and Behavioral Health Counseling Program continued to grow, providing 3,923 services to patients. Our Health Education department continued to grow as well, providing 33,499 health education classes to patients and families. Taught by Caridad's Community Health Workers trained at Caridad, these classes helped patients learn about healthy lifestyles, diet, exercise and managing their health conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension. Together, these volunteer doctors, dentists, and other allied health professionals provided over $10.2 million in free services and potentially saved Palm Beach County taxpayers nearly $24 million by eliminating uncompensated ER care. In addition, college scholarships valued at $43,853 were awarded to 27 low-income students attending 4 different Florida institutions of higher learning.

While chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects nearly 700 million individuals globally, 23% of Palm Beach County's Latino population are at heightened risk because of their high rates of diabetes. Recognizing the need for a comprehensive, culturally sensitive, and equitable approach to kidney care, Caridad Center opened Florida's first free CKD Clinic on September 8, 2023. Staffed by a multidisciplinary team of volunteer nephrologists, hypertension specialists, clinical dietitians, social workers, Community Health Workers and researchers, the clinic focuses on: 1) identifying CKD, 2) educating the patient, 3) promoting control of risk factors, such as blood pressure and diabetes; 4) providing holistic care, mental health therapy, medication management and nutritional counseling; and 5) educating patients on renal replacement therapies, including dialysis and home dialysis programs. As a result of this program. Caridad's CKD Clinic received a $250,000 grant in partnership with Florida International University-RCM from the National Kidney Foundation to advance equitable kidney care initiatives and minority health research.

This year, Caridad Center launched its new Mobile Health Clinic program. With generous support from the community, including a $1.5 million appropriation grant from Congresswoman Lois Frankel and a grant from the Leslie L. Alexander Foundation, we launched our Medical-Dental Clinic. The vision van was a generous gift from the Brother's Brother Foundation. We are now able to provide vital medical, vision and dental services to underserved communities that do not have access to Caridad Center. One of Caridad's early partners was the Guatemalan-Maya Center where the dental team saw over 50 people its first month, providing routine screenings and cleanings, fillings and extractions. It is equipped with a mobile dental delivery system, an ultrasound cleaner, a dry heater sterilizer, an autoclave and an X-ray machine.

Caridad Center established and funded a separate Foundation whose sole mission is to support Caridad Center's operations if/when needed through the pursuit and acquisition of major endowments and bequests and other fundraising activities. This will assure long-term sustainability for Caridad Center, to enable it to continue providing essential programs and services to the Palm Beach County community for many years to come. $3,252,659 was transferred to the Foundation. This transfer was recorded as Program Revenue on the Foundation's books and Program Expense on Caridad Center's books (which increased the Foundation's Net Assets, with a corresponding decrease in Caridad Center's Net Assets).