Health center will use grant to expand hours
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer

FREEHOLD - Administrators at the Paul M. McGuire Family Health Care Center will soon be able to do something they could not do until now - expand the facility's hours of operation.

With the help of a $50,000 grant awarded as part of the Horizon Foundation for New Jersey's five-year, $5 million Health Center Initiative, the McGuire health center will receive the funds it needs to offer additional services to the community, including counseling, prevention programs and dental screenings. The grant will help to cover the cost of medical supplies and will also be used for other operational expenses, according to Daniel Emmer, a spokesman for the foundation.

The family health center is housed in a trailer in the parking lot at the New Beginnings Agape Christian Center, Throckmorton Street. It has been in operation since January 2005 through the I Beseech Thee Community Development Corporation, a faith-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide community services to those in need and to help them improve their lives.

The health center is open two days a week. Instrumental in the operation of the clinic are the doctors, nurses and administrative personnel who volunteer their time and skills.

The health center offers physicals, health maintenance, treatment of minor illnesses and health education/preven-tion, in addition to blood pressure and other health screenings and children's immunizations. Any individual may seek assistance at the clinic. Interpreters are available to help people who do not speak English.

The check for $50,000 was presented to officials of the I Beseech Thee Com-munity Development Corporation at First Energy Park, Lakewood, as part of a Health and Wellness Fair sponsored by the Horizon Foundation for New Jersey.

Emmer said the foundation commenced operations in 2004 in order to promote health and an improved quality of life by supporting charitable organizations that are making a positive impact in the lives of people in communities throughout New Jersey.

A request for proposals was made available for certain independent and federally qualified health centers to expand access for primary health care for the uninsured and underserved residents of New Jersey, according to Jonathan Pearson, program director, corporate responsibility and community relations.

Pearson said the foundation awarded funding to 16 centers, including three in Monmouth County. In addition to the McGuire health center in Freehold Borough, the other local health care facilities to receive grants were the Providence Medical Clinic, Neptune, and the Visiting Nurse Association of Central New Jersey Community Health Center, Asbury Park.

According to Pearson, $2.2 million of the $5 million available for the program has already been awarded.

"The Lakewood Health Fair at First Energy Park was sponsored by Horizon and we are a major corporate sponsor for the (Lakewood BlueClaws). We used this event to publicly announce our support of the McGuire health center and to help market the center to the thousands of fans in attendance," Pearson said.

Pearson said each grant recipient will be required to provide an annual report to the foundation so administrators can evaluate how the program is working.

The Rev. Ricky Pierce, chairman of the I Beseech Thee Community Develop-ment Corporation, said the grant "was a godsend. It will further help us to serve those in the community who are in need of healthcare and it will also help us to increase our services and our hours of operation."