Helping Hands Clinic improves the lives of the uninsured by offering high-quality, free medical care to those in need.
Are you uninsured? Call us today!
Helping Hands Clinic was founded in 1998 by a group of dedicated and visionary leaders in Caldwell County who believed that all people had a right to quality health care -- regardless of their ability to pay.
The number of uninsured families in Caldwell County and across the United States has risen at alarming rates since then, and Helping Hands Clinic has expanded its services monumentally in response to that growing need.
Today, the Clinic's commitment remains simple and steadfast: Helping Hands Clinic improves the health of the uninsured and lowers the community cost for care by offering free, high-quality medical care to the uninsured.
If you or someone you know does not have health insurance, contact us today at 828.754.8565 and become a patient at Helping Hands Clinic.
Don't wait until you need us. Enroll today.
Medical Care: Acute, Chronic and Preventative
Helping Hands Clinic provides high-quality, free medical care to patients without health insurance. A full-time provider is available 5 days per week for acute, urgent, follow-up and preventative care. Helping Hands Clinic provides a high quality, cost-effective alternative to the local emergency room. So, before you go the emergency room, call 828.754.8565 and make an appointment to enroll or be seen at Helping Hands Clinic.
NEW Evening Urgent Care Clinic: Helping Hands holds an after-hours medical clinic for urgent care/sick visits. The Clinic is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday Evenings from 5:30 to 7:30. Call 828.754.8565 x 300 for an appointment for come by the Clinic to schedule an appointment.
Chronic Care Management
Patients with chronic diseases like Diabetes, COPD and similar respiratory diseases, complicated heart disease and some forms of arthritis can be enrolled in the Caldwell Health Access Program or CHAP. This program pairs uninsured patients with volunteer medical providers in Caldwell County who have agreed to manage patients with chronic diseases in their offices. Patients enrolled in CHAP have access to all Helping Hands services. To find out more about CHAP, contact Adrienne Shuford-McCann at 828.754.8565 x306 or adrienne_helpinghandsclinic.org.
Free Prescription Medications
Helping Hands offers a fully licensed pharmacy with free medications available to eligible patients. Most medications are accessed through the Patient Assistance Program and may take up to 8 weeks to be available. Helping Hands Clinic does not write prescriptions for or dispense narcotics of any kind. Helping Hands Clinic believes that patients who are invested in their personal health become more healthy, so patients are asked to purchase any medications available for $4 at a local retail pharmacy.
Patient Education
A variety of FREE patient education programs are available for uninsured patients including: diabetic education, smoking education classes, "Breathe Easy" classes, one-on-one nutritional and excercise counseling, and much, much, more. Contact Adrienne Shuford-McCann, Case Manager, at 828.754.8565 x306 for more information.
Am I eligible to become a patient?
Medical services at Helping Hands Clinic are available for adults who are residents of Caldwell County, have no private health insurance, are not eligible for Medicaid or Medicare and earn no more than 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (approximately $45,000 annually for a family of 4).
Contact us at 828.754.8565 x309 for more information or to make an appointment to become enrolled at Helping Hands Clinic.
How do I enroll?
To enroll as a patient, call Helping Hands Clinic, or stop by the Clinic in downtown Lenoir, to make an appointment to become enrolled. You must bring the following to your screening appointment:
*Current Drivers License, NC Photo ID Card, or a Utility Bill with your current address
*Federal Tax Return and previous months wages (unemployment, social security, other)
*If you are unemployed and NOT receiving benefits, you must confirm who is financially supporting you and providing you with your living expenses. A Letter of Financial Support is available at the Clinic.
When can you contact us?
Helping Hands Clinic is open Monday through Thursday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm and Friday 8:30 am to 3:00 pm. The office is closed every day for lunch from 12:00 - 1:00 pm. Enrollment appointments are available every day. Due to heavy call volume, you may need to leave a message at 828.754.8565 x300. All calls will be returned within 24 hours.
Contact us at 828.754.8565 x309 to set up an appointment and to pick up enrollment forms.
VOLUNTEER
Thanks to our volunteers, Helping Hands Clinic is able to offer quality medical care to the uninsured at a value significantly greater than the operating budget of the Clinic. Nearly every dollar contributed to the clinic is matched ten-fold by in-kind donations from Caldwell Memorial Hospital, volunteer physicians, pharmacists, RNs, educators and others. If you are interested in becoming a part of the Helping Hands team, contact Debra Philyaw, Assistant Director at debra_helpinghandsclinic.org or 828.754.8459 x312.
Special needs include:
Pharmacists (1-2 hours per month); CE Credit Hours available
Office Assistants (filing, phone, patient appointment reminders)
Pharmacy Volunteers (training available at the Clinic)
Fundraising (event planning, personal solicitation)
CONTRIBUTE
Helping Hands Clinic is a private, non-profit corporation, designated as a 501(c)(3) organization by the Internal Revenue Service (Tax ID# 56-2076541). We are completely privately funded, with no federal or state reimbursement for any services. Donations from individuals, corporations, foundations, the faith-community, civic groups and local town governments support 100% of the services provided to uninsured patients each year. All donations to Helping Hands Clinic are tax-deductible as allowed by the Internal Revenue Service. For information about how you can support the Clinic, transfer appreciated stock or make a planned gift to support the Clinic, contact Lilly Skok Bunch at 828.754.8565 x308.
TELL A FRIEND
Helping Hands Clinic participates in hundreds of Mission and Community Health Fairs, Civic Clubs, and presentations at local congregations and community meetings to insure patients are aware of the services available at Helping Hands Clinic. For someone to come and speak to your group, Contact Lilly Skok Bunch at 828.754.8565 x308.
DEDICATED STAFF:
Staff members serve the needs of the uninsured Monday through Thursday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm and Friday 8:30 to 3:00 pm. The office is closed from 12 - pm for lunch each day. Please contact our staff at 828.754.8565 and then press the extension listed following their name.
April Cotton, MD, Medical Director
Freddie Moore, xx, Pharmacy Manager
Executive Director: Lilly Skok Bunch, ext.308
Clinical Director: Buffie Buchanan, FNP, ext. 300
Assistant Director, Debra Philyaw, ext.312
Pharmacy Services Director: Shelia Helton, ext. 304
CHAP Case Manager: Adrienne Shuford-McCann, ext.306
PAP Coordinator: Donna Laws, ext.313
PAP Coordinator: Connie Vermillion, ext.314
Office Manager: April McKinney ext. 300
Development Coordinator: Carole Walker ext. 307
Patient Care Coordinator: J.R. Hildreth, RN, BSN, ext. 315
Community Referral/Evening Clinic Coordinator, Julie Mahaffey, ext. 310
Evening Clinic MOA, Olivia Vines x315
VOLUNTEER BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Chair, Todd Perdue, President, Parkway Insurance
Vice Chair, Rev. Marcus Ollis, St. Johns Lutheran Church
Treasurer, Carol Frye, Broyhill Investments
Secretary, Becky Gibbons, Community Leader
Anne Bernhardt, Bernhardt Furniture Company
Felicia Burleson, Caldwell County DSS
Jessica Carter. Caldwell County Health Department
Lois Clark, Community Leader
Carol Frye, Broyhill Investments
Janine Hannibal, Community Leader
Bronda Jones, Community Leader
Tricia Masters, PNP
Tim Palmer, Caldwell Memorial Hospital
John Powell, MD Southfork Medical Practice
Ron Stilwell, Lenoir City Council, Stilwell Design and Marketing
OUR PARTNERS:
North Carolina Association of Free Clinics
North Carolina Center for Non Profits
Caldwell Memorial Hospital
Caldwell County Health Department
Caldwell County DSS
Caldwell Physicians Network
West Caldwell Health Council
Caldwell HealthNet Collaborative
Concilio Hispano
First Baptist Church Dental Program
Due to heavy call volume, it is sometimes difficult to reach a person through the Helping Hands Clinic telephone system.
Please leave a message at the extension below
PHARMACY QUESTIONS:
To refill your prescription call our automated line: 828.754.5292
For general pharmacy/prescription questions, please call: 828.754.8565 x304
If your prescription at the Helping Hands Pharmacy does not have refills and your provider needs to approve refills leave that information on the IVR, at 828.754.5292. If your prescription needs refills from a retail pharmacy, call the pharmacy directly and they will call in refills on your behalf.
To confirm your medication has been ordered from the drug company and is available for pick-up call: 828.754.8565 x311
ENROLLMENT:
For information about becoming enrolled call 828.754.8565 x309
CLINICAL QUESTIONS:
For an appointment Call 828.754.8565 x 300
To speak with the Clinic Nurse call 828.754.8565 x 315
CONTRIBUTIONS:
To make a donation or requestion information about supporting the clinic, call 828.754.8565 x308
HOURS OF OPERATION:
Monday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
Tuesday: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
Wednesday: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
Thursday: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
Friday: 8:30 am to 3:00 pm
CLOSED 12:00 - 1:00 pm each day
PHARMACY
Pharmacy Pick-up:
Monday: 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Tuesday: 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Wednesday: CLOSED
Thursday: 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Friday: 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
LOCATION:
810 Harper Avenue
Downtown Lenoir, NC 28645
One block off Main Street behind St. James Episcopal Church
TELEPHONE: 828.754.8565
FAX: 828.754.8567
INFO_helpinghandsclinic.org
