S. Mark Taper Foundation grants funds to support Care Harbor's fifth annual free clinic

Care Harbor, a Los Angeles based nonprofit organization founded to bring health and wellness care to in-need populations, announced receipt of a grant from the S. Mark Taper Foundation to help produce a large-scale free clinic for the community's uninsured and underinsured individuals and families. The $50,000 grant will help fund Care Harbor's massive annual clinic at the L.A. Sports Arena in the fall, the fifth the organization has produced at that venue and the most ambitious to date.

As Covered California approaches the end of its current enrollment period, it is estimated that more than 1,000,000 Angelenos, the majority of them legally present, will remain without health insurance. Many who have insurance are without dental or vision coverage, or have high deductibles that they cannot afford to pay.

"L.A. County's uninsured numbers are not only higher than those of any other county in the U.S., but also higher than most states in the nation," said Don Manelli, CEO of Care Harbor. "The generous grant from the S. Mark Taper Foundation will help Care Harbor address this challenge during our annual clinic."

Care Harbor has added a large insurance education and enrollment component to its annual event in Los Angeles, along with the medical, dental and vision care it provides. Qualified insurance navigators will be on site this year to provide consultation and even begin the enrollment process.

"We have thousands of uninsured under one roof at one time," Manelli said, "and the majority are from ethnic groups that haven't yet responded strongly to Covered California. It's a great opportunity to bring them into coverage programs they didn't know were available to them."

"Care Harbor works to have a lasting impact on the lives of the people it serves, providing prevention resources and follow-up care as well as the direct care it provides on site," said Adrienne Wittenberg, Executive Director of the S. Mark Taper Foundation. "We believe that the entire community benefits when we can transition thousands more into sustainable healthcare and we're proud to be part of that effort."

The planned free clinic will offer expanded medical, dental and vision services as well as new capabilities reflecting the changing healthcare landscape. For example, to reduce the long waits to see a medical specialist within the community clinic system, the clinic will increase the number of specialty care physicians on site and work with local community clinics to bring in patients who need to see a specialist.

"Care Harbor is L.A. helping its own," Manelli said. "It is a community effort, from the healthcare professionals who participate to organizations like the S. Mark Taper Foundation whose commitment and support are what makes this event possible."

The Care Harbor / LA 2015 free clinic event is scheduled for October 15th through the 18th at the Sports Arena.