Foundation donates $150,000 for the production of the organization’s second van to provide mobile medical treatment to patients in the Merrimack Valley
QUINCY, Mass., JUNE 18, 2024 — The Arbella Insurance Foundation (“Foundation”) is proud to announce the donation of $150,000 to the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center for the production and launch of their newest mobile health clinic. As the immigrant population grows in Lawrence and surrounding communities, the demand for primary care services is also rising. Today’s newest mobile health clinic will allow the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center to triple the patient care that they have offered in years past with this additional van on the road.
“Our mobile health services are closing the gap in offering medical attention to those who do not always have access to quality care, and we are thrilled to be able to expand these services,” said Dr. Ryan Dono, Residency Core Faculty and Medical Director of Health Care for the Homeless Program at Greater Lawrence Family Health Center. “Our job is never done and I’m in awe of the program’s continued success. Since the inception of our first mobile medical unit in 2017, we continue to reassess the community’s needs and are committed to offering low barrier care to our most vulnerable patients, including the unsheltered homeless and newly arrived immigrant families in emergency shelters.”
This fully customized mobile health clinic includes the latest technology and equipment to treat unhoused and transient individuals and families, recently arrived immigrant families, and others who are prevented from going to a brick-and-mortar health center in Lawrence, Haverhill, Methuen, and Andover. It hosts two clinical rooms, a wheelchair lift, restroom, and will have three clinical staff working at a time. Patients are welcome to the mobile health clinic on a first come, first served basis, and no identification is required.
“Serving our community across social, equity, and wellness issues has always been at the center of Arbella’s mission,” said John Donohue, chairman, president and CEO of the Arbella Insurance Group and chairman and president of the Arbella Insurance Foundation. “Together with the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, we are proud to take medicine on the road and treat patients in our state’s most vulnerable areas. At a time when access to hospitals is harder than in years past, I am grateful that an organization like theirs exists to bring care to those in areas of need.”
The mobile health clinic is proud to be a resource of resident teaching for its physicians who provide this care. Additionally, the majority of clinicians who work at Greater Lawrence Family Health Center are former graduates of the program themselves, are family doctors, and many are bilingual. The organization is also proud to have three of its doctors featured on this year’s list of top doctors on the North Shore.
Donations to the creation of the van were also received from The Yawkey Foundation and Mass Development. The van will be officially on the road to begin servicing patients in the fall, making frequent visits to the House of Mercy in Lawrence, the Common Ground Café in Haverhill, and more.
About the Arbella Insurance Foundation
The Arbella Insurance Group founded the Arbella Insurance Foundation in 2005. Recognized as one of the Boston Business Journal’s “Top Charitable Contributors” for 15 consecutive years, the mission of Arbella’s Foundation is to engage in activities and to support not-for-profit organizations that have a significant positive impact on the people and communities served by Arbella.
About the Arbella Insurance Group
Established in 1988, the Arbella Insurance Group (www.arbella.com) is an A rated company by AM Best, with more than $1 billion in revenue and over $2 billion in assets. Headquartered in Quincy, Massachusetts, Arbella is a customer-focused, regional property and casualty insurance company, providing commercial insurance products in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Hampshire, and personal insurance products in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Recognized as one of the Boston Business Journal’s “Best Places to Work” for 16 consecutive years, Arbella is deeply committed to maintaining high levels of employee satisfaction and supporting a positive and inclusive workplace culture. Arbella attributes its success to their dedicated employees, strong agent partnerships and community focus.
About Greater Lawrence Family Health Center
At Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, we are dedicated to providing exceptional healthcare for our community. With a team of over 100 family physicians, including 40 residents, and a range of other clinicians, GLFHC physicians deliver more than 800 babies and oversee more than 250,000 patient visits annually. As the primary care physician for more than half of the adults and children residing in Greater Lawrence, we are proud to be the leader in community and primary medicine in Greater Lawrence and the Merrimack Valley.
Our commitment to culturally sensitive patient care is reflected in our diverse, bilingual staff who understand the unique needs of our community. From gynecology to high-risk obstetrics, we offer a comprehensive range of specialty care services. Our clinics provide ambulatory acute care seven days a week, with convenient evening hours to ensure you receive the care you need when you need it. Together with other area providers, we strive to offer continuity of care to our patients.
Our mission goes beyond providing healthcare services – we are also dedicated to training health care professionals to respond to the needs of our culturally diverse population through the Lawrence Family Medicine Residency Program.