Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry launches free health clinic
NeighborCare taps team of volunteers to offer access to medical care
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
January 14, 2024
Dr. Wes Hite examines a patient at NeighborCare, a free Black Mountain health clinic established by the Swannanoa Christian Ministry. Photo by Fred McCormick
In the days after Tropical Storm Helene, while the Swannanoa Valley remained isolated and without running water or electricity, local medical professionals responded to the disaster by offering their services to area residents in need of urgent health care. On the front lines of a crisis in their community, momentum gathered around the idea of finding a long-term solution to an enduring problem.
As the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry launched its free medical clinic, NeighborCare, Jan. 4, the nonprofit organization is partnering with a team of clinicians to provide free access to a crucial resource. The clinic, open 9 a.m. - 12 p.m., Wednesday and Saturday, accepts walk-in patients and offers online scheduling on the NeighborCare page at svcmblackmountain.org.
The cost-free service is available for residents of Black Mountain, Swannanoa, Montreat, Ridgecrest and East Asheville who earn a gross income less than 250% of the federal poverty line. A family of four earning a gross income of $6,500 per month is eligible to receive care.
“It’s all self-declared, so if you come in here, you’re from the Swannanoa Valley and say you need help, we’ll take care of you,” said SVCM Executive Director Kevin Bates. “The whole goal is to make these services as accessible as possible.”
Approximately 34% of area residents qualify to utilize the free health clinic, according to Bates.
Dr. Wes Hite, who established his direct primary care practice Wellspring in 2021 has long been aware of the demand for affordable health care in the Swannanoa Valley.
“Around six years ago, I had a discussion with the previous SVCM director about the possibility of establishing a free medical clinic, so it had been somewhat of a dream,” he said. “That never really got off the ground, and I went out and started a new practice and that conversation kind of stalled over time.”
It was rekindled as locals with backgrounds in the field of medical care worked side-by-side to treat residents in the aftermath of Helene.
“The storm pushed the agenda,” Hite said. “The Valley already needed a clinic, but this disaster really made it clear to everyone.”
NeighborCare, a free health clinic established by the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry, opened to the public, Jan. 4. The office is open from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m., every Wednesday and Saturday. Photo by Fred McCormick
Nurse practitioner Ann Marie Hammond and UNC Health Pardee athlete trainer Crystal Shirk were among the local residents providing treatment at a makeshift clinic operating at First Baptist Church of Black Mountain in the weeks after the storm.
“We were running 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. everyday, and we probably had contact with 75 to 100 patients a day, between our bike brigade and other outreach efforts,” Hammond said. “We had connections to area hospitals that allowed us to get medical supplies to people in need, so that gave us additional perspective on what kind of lasting issues the Swannanoa Valley would be facing.”
The Black Mountain native who practices in McDowell County, was eager to offer her assistance in establishing and operating a local free clinic.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to come back here and offer whatever care I can in the Valley,
Hammond said.
It was an opportunity Hite presented to Hammond and her friend Shirk, who has been assigned as the Owen High School athletic trainer for 18 years.
“Wes came to First Baptist to talk to us about opening an office that would continue to offer free care to local residents long after the storm recovery,” Hammond said. “There was some serendipity there, and we were all on the same page about figuring out a way to provide this service.”
Nurse Practitioner Ann Marie Hammond prepares for a patient, Jan. 4, as NeighborCare, a free health clinic through the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry, opens to the public. Photo by Fred McCormick
SVCM provided office space in the building occupied by the Black Mountain Counseling Center, hiring Shirk to serve as the practice manager. Hite and Hammond volunteered their professional services.
The initial priority, according to Hammond, is to mitigate enduring hardships in the fallout of the disaster.
“There are plenty of people who are still out of work, and some of them may never go back to the job they had before this,” she said. “There will be long-term impacts to this, and we’re hoping to help address some of those here.”
NeighborCare is partnering with Health Ridge Pharmacy to fill prescriptions for patients.
“In a setting like this, you need to have a pharmacist, so Jonna Munroe and Taylor Jones at Health Ridge were willing to step up and volunteer their time, so we can get the proper medicine to patients here and they don’t have to worry the financial burden,” Hite said.
The Ministry’s mission is to expand the network of medical professionals in the coming years, according to Bates.
“The big hope here is that we can eventually find a location in Swannanoa, and we’re currently looking for a site,” he said. “We want to get this in motion here, build a strong foundation and continue to build upon it over time.”