St. Petersburg Free Clinic was founded in May, 1970 by Warner “Butch” Anderson, a senior psychology major at the University of South Florida, and his friend, Dr. Linda Shaffer, who practiced at Mound Park Hospital. They were concerned that thousands of people in the area were not receiving adequate medical care. The public clinics that cared for the poor had been closed and while Medicare and Medicaid were designed to help the needy, many physicians in St. Petersburg refused to participate, citing the red tape involved and the low payments they received. Mr. Anderson and Dr. Shaffer were also concerned with the explosion of illegal drugs being sold on the streets of the city and the failure or inability of government agencies and the medical community to recognize the problem and respond to it.
Steve Kilburn, Communications Director reports that in essence, “the SPFC is a cooperative enterprise with a primary purpose of serving the community. We partner with hundreds of businesses and organizations in the area for the welfare of Pinellas County citizens. While it sounds great, what really makes our day are stories like those of ‘Mahmoud’ – a man who lost his job and health benefits, which was catastrophic for a man battling diabetes. Mahmoud told us, ‘I don’t know what I would have done without the care and understanding of the nurses and diabetes educator at the Free Clinic,’ he says. I see the nurses’ and volunteers’ faces beam as they related the story to me; there is nothing like a truly grateful patient to make your day.”
In addition the St. Petersburg Free Clinic is more than medical. They are also a Food Bank; distributing 1.7 million pounds of food annually free of charge. They are also a men’s and women’s shelter: Beacon House and The Women’s Residence, respectively.
Email serves a vital component of their community outreach program. Without which they’d be unable o communicate their mission and activities as effectively and affordably with their network of volunteers, community, officials, partners and more.
Visit the St Petersburg Free Clinic for more information and to get involved
http://www.stpetersburgfreeclinic.org
Phone: (727) 821-1200
Contact: Steve Kilburn (Communications Director)
Email: steve.kilburn (@) stpetersburgfreeclinic.org
