Known for their philanthropic nature and big hearts, the people of Harvest Time International have created another way to help those in need; this time with a free clinic for uninsured which opens in Aug. 19.
Sanford's Harvest Time was established in 2006, and since have helped the Seminole county community financially. With their community hope center, struggling families no longer have to worry about basic items, groceries and bills, because the organization provides a market filled with a variety of foods and household products.
Lena Smolinsky, the outreach and communications director, has been with the company since 1997 and said the need for medical assistance was substantial.
"One of the biggest needs that we saw besides food and housing is also definitely medical care," she said. "We did a survey in our community hope center with our clients and 60% of the people didn't have insurance and didn't have access to medical attention."
Smolinsky says one of the most significant priorities for Harvest Time to provide is "self-sufficiency" among families, which the hope center, they are able to help about 500 families achieve that goal.
Carrie Pope, the executive director of the Seminole County Medical Society, agreed about the drastic need for medical care in Seminole county and says they have been receiving an increased number of phone call regarding the issue. "It's becoming more and more of a difficult challenge just because there's so many people without insurance who can't afford insurance right now," Pope said. "It's definitely a continuing challenge."
When she heard the free clinic was opening at Harvest Time, she was thrilled. "I would love to learn more about it so that maybe we can work with them and work to help some of the patients in that area of Seminole county," she expressed.
One family in particular who are in need of medical help is the Cintron-Gonzalez family, who have been clients to the foundation for nearly two years. Maria Cintron, a single mother with two sons, has been lacking health insurance her entire life and now that she's unemployed, she is still not eligible for Medicaid like her boys are.
"Even if I start working, if I get medical coverage there, they take a lot out of my check," said Cintron, explaining that is why she never applied for the coverage at her jobs. "I'm blessed my kids have Medicaid."
Cintron, 43, says her biggest concern is that she may have diabetes because symptoms have become present and it's genetic in her family and after a visit to the emergency room recently when the medical staff wanted to test her for it, she denied because she was unable to afford it. Her last physical was a year ago and asserts that she must go every six months to a year, at her age, to ensure her health.
"Right now, I probably have diabetes and I can't do anything about it ... I don't know what to do," she said.
Cintron and her boys currently reside in Sanford, just seven minutes away from Harvest Time and when she heard the clinic was opening she was relieved that her worries were over and that was just a few minute bus ride away.
"It's good, it's very good. I'll probably be the first one when they open. I know I will. They are going to see my face like, twice a month," she said laughingly.
They receive phone calls everyday about it, but the clinic is still being undergoing work. There are five examination rooms and there will be an appointment system because they will have specialty doctors.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held on the opening day, equipped with fundraisers, bake sales and booths where other organizations can be promoted.
The Smolinky's say they cannot wait for it to open because they are happy they are in their positions to help people and meet their needs, which they both said was more than just a job. "We just love to help people and also, the truth is, God brought us here," Smolinsky said.
Her husband, Andre, concurred, as he held their baby, Aurelia. "There's no other place I'd rather work. It's more than just a job for us. It's a calling."
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