The Open Arms Free Clinic opened at its new location at 205 E. Commerce Court in Elkhorn on April 20.
It will share the former Aurora Health Care building off of Highway 67 with the W.C. Food Pantry, which moved from its County Road H location outside of Lake Geneva.
The clinic was located since its opening in November 2012 at 797 E. Geneva St. next to Breber Music across from Elkhorn Area High School.
The clinic had an open house April 20 at which residents could meet clinic board members and volunteers and learn about clinic services.
Open Arms is in the midst of a matching gift campaign with the goal of raising $50,000 that ends April 30. The clinic has raised about 90 percent of the funds to meet its goal.
The Rev. Dan Sanders, former pastor of St. Benedict Catholic Church in Fontana who now serves Lumen Christi Catholic Church in Mequon, dreamed of opening a free clinic in Walworth County.
“I would describe the need for the clinic as an issue of accessibility, not a question of insurance,” said Sanders. “A free clinic tries to remove those barriers to accessibility and tries to be an advocate for human beings in need of care.”
Open Arms mission is to serve the health and wellness needs of the uninsured, low income, and underserved residents of Walworth County with compassion and understanding.
Open Arms Free Clinic Inc. is a community-based not-for-profit 501(c)3 charitable organization governed by a volunteer board of directors.
It conducts eligibility screenings from 2 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, medication pick-up from 2 to 7 p.m. Thursdays and medical and dental care by appointment.
To learn more about Open Arms, visit its website at www.openarmsfreeclinic.org or Facebook page at www.facebook.com/OpenArmsFreeClinic.
