There was a time when lower-income people in the New River Valley couldn’t afford the critical health care they needed. Their care options were limited or, in some cases, simply didn’t exist.
In 1979, a group of concerned citizens came together with a vision to address a problem that had persisted in the New River Valley for generations.
These founding visionaries responded by hosting free medical clinic nights once or twice a month in donated space on the downtown Christiansburg Square. They relied upon the generosity of physicians to show up and work until the last patient was seen. There was no paid staff but a growing group of volunteers who kept things running. Two years after the doors opened, the group gained non-profit status.
Word of the services offered by The Free Clinic of the New River Valley spread across the region. Patients queued up in the late afternoon on clinic nights, and volunteers often worked until midnight serving those with injuries, acute illness, and chronic disease.
Its mission resonated with the community. Donations started coming in, and a part-time Director and Office Manager were hired. Over the next 15 years, the number of patients and volunteers increased steadily, as did the number of locations. Clinics were added in Pearisburg, Floyd, and Radford, and like Christiansburg, they held weekly clinic nights in borrowed spaces.
In 2002, Montgomery County offered to provide the former Motel Roberts building at 215 Roanoke Street in Christiansburg to the clinic for free. The facility was imperfect, but the clinic finally had its first permanent home.
Renovation grants were obtained to modernize the facility, and a part-time nurse practitioner and dentist were hired.
Over the next few years, the free clinic grew exponentially in workforce and sophistication and began serving patients Monday through Friday.
Through the years, the response has evolved. What started as a free clinic now serves our region through four offices as a Federally Qualified Health Center. While we have maintained our non-profit roots, we now have more than 90 employees and have been honored as one of the Top 10% of all FQHCs for four years in a row.
Today, we provide medical, dental, and behavioral health services. Thanks to our community support and exceptional staff, we have been able to remain agile and responsive as health challenges have changed.