Capital Campaign will Integrate Family Health Centers Refugee Services
(Louisville, KY) The Community Foundation of Louisville awarded the Americana World Community Center (AWCC) a $45,000 grant towards their capital campaign Healthcare Excellence Initiative: Elevating Care for Louisville’s Newest Neighbors. The AWCC capital campaign will renovate three floors of the community cente
r’s south wing, totaling nearly 10,000 square feet to fully integrate the Family Health Centers (FHC)-Americana, including its Survivors of Torture Services, medical, behavioral health, and support services into the AWCC and their constellation of services and physical space.
“We are so grateful for the Community Foundation of Louisville’s generous award to this campaign, states Emilie Dyer, Executive Director of AWCC. “These grant funds allow us to begin steps to mitigate any lead or other hazardous materials that other funding doesn’t allow.” AWCC was awarded a $2 million Community Funding Project in FY 2023 for this estimated $3.9 million project.
Since 2007, AWCC has hosted the Family Health Centers-Americana Refugee Health program on their campus in two-modular buildings in the back parking lot of the Community Center. This program, the first in Kentucky and now the model program for the state, performs required Refugee Health Assessments in close collaboration with Louisville’s three resettlement agencies. These modular buildings are approximately 3,000 square feet, holding up to 20 staff members. They are far smaller than the needed capacity for the services considering the increased number of immigrants and refugees Louisville welcomes each year.
“The Community Foundation’s award is bringing us a step forward to realizing our goal to create an integrated clinic with Americana World Community Center,” stated Dr. Bart Irwin, FHC’s CEO. “We are working diligently with Americana World Community Center to raise the remaining funds needed.”
The AWCC Capital Campaign will more than double the size of the current clinic, increasing the number of exam rooms from four to eight, allowing for an expansion of current services, including the addition of more available Refugee Health Assessments and increased capacity for follow-up and primary care. Furthermore, the renovation will provide an updated physical space for AWCC Fiberworks Program and Ethnic Community Groups, as well as additional space for AWCC and FHC to grow.
To learn more about the Americana World Community Center Capital Campaign visit: https://www.americanacc.org/capitalcampaign.html
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Americana World Community Center’s mission is to provide holistic services to Louisville’s refugee, immigrant and underserved population to build strong and healthy families, create a safe and supportive community and help every individual realize their potential. Guided by our core principles; Human Dignity, Social Justice, and Holistic Development, we help bridge the gap from surviving to thriving. Each year, we serve more than 5,000 people from over 100 countries in their pursuits of better days and brighter futures.
Family Health Centers, Inc. (FHC) is a not-for-profit, federally qualified health center that provides access to high-quality primary and preventive health care services regardless of the ability to pay. Established in 1976, FHC offers services to nearly 40,000 individuals annually through a network of nine health center locations throughout Louisville Metro. Learn more at www.fhclouisville.org.