For the 2026 campaign, early giving begins April 28 and Give Local Piedmont Day is May 12!

Hosted by Northern Piedmont Community Foundation, Give Local Piedmont (GLP) is an online giving opportunity to support nonprofit organizations that are making communities in our region stronger.

How can you help? Your Give Local Piedmont gift supports our mission to offer medical care for low-income adults who don’t have health insurance.  Everyone should be able to see a doctor when they are sick or have a health issue – like clinic patient and single mom Mary, trying to address her blood pressure concerns and overall health while managing the responsibilities of caring for her children and working.  Regular medical care helps Free Clinic patients manage health concerns and stay healthier.

Our patients may be faced with many challenges. Without the support of community members like you, people who rely on the clinic would not have access to medical care. That would lead to more life threatening illnesses and higher medical costs due to increased unnecessary emergency room visits.

Community members also count on the clinic when facing challenges such as job losses and resulting loss of health insurance. Economic uncertainties translate to greater struggles for already vulnerable community members. A patient facing a job loss and medical challenges said, “The staff gave me compassion and support and helped me start moving forward again.”

Some patients, like Susan, may suffer from a number of serious medical issues that could be life threatening. When facing life’s challenges, our patients, such as Susan, know that Free Clinic services are one thing that can be relied upon, thanks to the generosity of our donors. Read Susan’s story.

In addition to our diagnostic, treatment and preventative services we have offered patients COVID testing and vaccinations in partnership with Remington Drug Company and the Rappahannock-Rapidan Department of Health. HIV & Hepatitis C testing has been made available through FAHASS. We value our connections with groups such as Mom2Mom for offering our patients personal hygiene and baby care products, and the Minority and Veteran Farmers of the Piedmont and Virginia Cooperative Extension that generously bring fresh vegetables for our patients and neighbors to enjoy. Through our partnership with the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, we now have a food pantry that can serve patients who need help accessing nutritious food and guidance with healthy meal planning.

Your gift during the annual Give Local Piedmont campaign directly supports patient needs – thank you!

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In October 2024, the Free Clinic of Culpeper joined the Food Pharmacy program offered by the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank (BRAFB) to increase clinic patients’ access to nutritious food. Incorporating healthy foods into a diet can help prevent and manage diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. With the Food Pharmacy in place at the clinic, challenges related to food accessibility and affordability have been reduced. During the Pharmacy’s first year of operation at the Culpeper Free Clinic, nearly 500 clinic patients have benefited from the Food Bank’s monthly delivery of canned and frozen foods, fresh produce, and pantry staples.

The Food Pharmacy program is tailored to clinic patients’ needs. A monthly order placed by the clinic focuses on foods that are nutritious, with an emphasis on low sodium, no added sugar, and whole grain items. The order can be adjusted to request community favorites or culturally inclusive foods. Other foods may be included as special treats or family favorites.

As part of patient care, nutrition education is available with a focus on each patient’s specific health needs. Patients typically visit the Food Pharmacy during an appointment and are guided to nutritional choices by clinic staff or volunteers.

“It’s so impactful to include a discussion of nutrition and a walk through of the Food Pharmacy as part of the patient’s visit,” observes clinic director Tammy LaGraffe. “The give and take of the conversation really helps to inform our patients about their options and what might be best for them.”

LaGraffe adds, “Pairing on-site food availability with health education is particularly helpful for our patients with chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. All of these conditions can show improvement when nutritious foods are incorporated into the diet.”

After the Food Pharmacy was set up at the clinic, the Culpeper Mid Day Lions Club provided a grant focused on diabetes management. The grant supported the purchase of cookbooks and other educational materials for the clinic, as well as a refrigerator and a freezer for Food Pharmacy cold storage. Another refrigerator was secured through a BRAFB grant. LaGraffe also expressed gratitude for the commitment of volunteers who unpack the pallets delivered each month.

“The Food Pharmacy has been such a positive addition to our patient services,” comments LaGraffe. “Having this resource at the clinic is promoting great conversations about healthy habits and empowering patients to manage their health through nutritious food choices.”

The Free Clinic of Culpeper, managed by the Culpeper Wellness Foundation, welcomes volunteers to help with Food Pharmacy monthly deliveries. Individuals interested in volunteering may contact clinic volunteer coordinator Molly Clair at mclair@culpeperwellness.org

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For the sixth year, we’ve earned a Gold Rating from the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics Quality Standards Program! The clinic has received this rating each year since the program’s launch in 2020.

The Free Clinic of Culpeper is a member of the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC). The NAFC’s mission is to ensure the medically underserved have access to affordable quality health care. 

As an NAFC member, the Free Clinic of Culpeper voluntarily submits information to the NAFC on the various policies and procedures in place and pledges successful incorporation of these standards within the clinic. The standards apply to the following areas: Administrative, Clinic/Pharmacy Responsibilities, Credentialing and Privileging Systems, Patient Care, and Risk Management Systems.

In 2024, the clinic served more than 700 patients, and new initiatives expanded services available to patients. In partnership with the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, a Food Pharmacy was established on site to provide patients with convenient access to healthy foods. According to clinic director Tammy LaGraffe, “There is an education component also, thanks to the American Heart Association HeartCorps program. Our HeartCorps intern, along with volunteers and staff members, assists patients with choosing foods from the Food Pharmacy and selecting recipes that are good matches for their particular health needs.” LaGraffe also expressed appreciation for the Carver Food Enterprise Center’s Feeding 500 program that shares healthy meals with clinic patients.

 An affiliation in 2024 with the Virginia Telemental Health Initiative has made mental health services more accessible to clinic patients. Other patient services are regularly offered at the clinic by area non profits such as SAFE, Just Neighbors and FAHASS.

“The diverse programs and services we are able to offer our patient population can only happen through community support,” noted LaGraffe. “Our community’s generosity during Give Local Piedmont in May and our Oyster Fest fundraiser in October plays a critical role in supporting our patient services. These giving opportunities, along with other donations, comprise two-thirds of our budget. Receiving the Gold Rating reflects the hard work and commitment of our staff and volunteers, individuals as well as organizations, and their dedication to quality care and patient support.”

To learn more about the NAFC, please visit www.nafcclinics.org.

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Susan had a metal mesh tube (a stent) placed in her right leg to keep the blood flowing as it should and prevent more serious problems. Recently she came to the clinic for a routine follow-up appointment. Not long into the visit, nurse Becca discovered that Susan’s right foot was cold and she was unable to find a pulse. Becca was concerned that Susan was not getting enough blood flowing to her leg and foot.

The clinic team immediately transferred Susan to the emergency room where it was confirmed that the stent in her leg was blocked. She was admitted to the hospital and underwent an emergency procedure to restore the blood flow.

Without the support of clinic donors, much could have gone wrong for Susan. She needs regular medical care with providers who can stay on top of her health challenges. For Susan and many other clinic patients, our generous donors are sharing gifts that are lifesaving.

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“Filling prescriptions can be costly and without the support of the clinic and Rx Partnership, we know many patients would go without essential medications,” said Amy Yarcich, Executive Director of Rx Partnership. “By making prescriptions available quickly and affordably, the clinic serves as an essential safety net for vulnerable patients.”

The clinic has been an Rx Partnership partner since 2005. As part of this partnership, more than 28,000 prescriptions have been provided to more than 2,000 Free Clinic of Culpeper patients. The value of the dispensed medications is nearly $7,000,000.

The Free Clinic of Culpeper received its certificate of recognition from Rx Partnership during the Virginia Association of Free & Charitable Clinic’s annual conference in Williamsburg.

Culpeper Free Clinic director Tammy LaGraffe said, “We are very grateful for all the support Rx Partnership gives our clinic; this support enables us to access medications to help keep our patients healthy and out of the hospital. The support that Rx Partnership provides to our clinic saves our patients thousands of dollars in medication and results in patients being able to take medication as directed – they can see real improvement in their health because of Rx Partnership.”

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How does the service work?

• The clinic refers a patient in need of mental health support to VTMHI and collaborates as the patient’s medical home base.
• VTMHI conducts an assessment to ensure telemental health care matches the patient’s needs.
• The patient is matched with a volunteer therapist.
• The therapist and patient agree on treatment goals (min. of 10 sessions provided).
•  VTMHI coordinates with the patient’s referring clinic regarding care and social support needs.

Questions are welcome! Please call our clinic at (540) 829-5032.

About the Commonwealth’s first-ever statewide virtual free mental health clinic

As a virtual clinic, VTMHI collaborates with volunteer pre-licensed mental health providers in the process of completing licensure to provide teletherapy services to eligible patients who are referred by participating free and charitable clinics. The VTMHI model both expands access to mental health services and strengthens Virginia’s mental health workforce.

The pilot program originally launched in December 2022.

“We’re so grateful to our partners and volunteers who took part in the program’s successful inaugural year of service. They helped to build an innovative structure that is putting mental health services within the reach of Virginians who otherwise could not afford or access it,” said Mara Servaites, Executive Director of VTMHI. “It’s the first model we know of in the U.S. with a dual mission of providing free mental health services to medically underserved populations virtually while also supporting the next generation of mental health providers with the licensure process so they can enter the workforce faster. We learned during our first year that this new concept works, and we’re now poised for growth by bringing on additional referring clinics to serve more Virginians.”

Since its inception, VTMHI has scheduled nearly 2,000 telemental health sessions with an average of 11 days between referral and a patient’s first appointment – a dramatic improvement compared to the average wait time of three months or longer, according to the American Psychological Association’s 2023 Practitioner Pulse Survey.

Making this all possible, during the inaugural year, were 43 volunteer pre-licensed mental health professionals supported by six clinical supervisors to provide pro bono services to patients across ten participating free and charitable clinics.

In 2024, VTMHI will invite 30 new Virginia clinics to join the program and will collaborate with an additional 75 volunteer mental health professionals.

“Since the launch of VTMHI, we have been able to offer an initial counseling visit to patients within 24 hours in most cases. This has been immensely helpful for patients who have recently been discharged from inpatient psychiatric care or have a more urgent need,” said Shannon Raybuck, Mental Health Care Coordinator at Fauquier Free Clinic. “This partnership allows these patients to engage quickly in services to address concerns such as substance use and anger management.”

This year, VTMHI has welcomed twelve new referring clinics, including:

• ADAMS Compassionate Healthcare Network (Chantilly)
• Augusta Regional Dental Clinic
• Blue Ridge Free Clinic (Harrisonburg)
• Culmore Clinic (Falls Church)
• Free Clinic of Culpeper
• Free Clinic of Powhatan
• Goochland Cares
• Greene Care Clinic (Stanardsville)
• Guadalupe Free Clinic (Colonial Beach)
• Mother of Mercy Free Medical Clinic (Woodbridge)
• Ohlen R. Wilson (Galax)
• Sinclair Health Clinic (Winchester)

The new clinics join existing partners Bradley Free Clinic (Roanoke), Brock Hughes Medical Center (Wytheville), Charlottesville Free Clinic, CrossOver Healthcare Ministry (Richmond and Henrico), Fauquier Free Clinic, Free Clinic of Franklin County/Bernard Healthcare Center, Health Brigade (Richmond), Ledwith-Lewis Free Clinic (Tappahannock), Page Free Clinic (Luray), and Shenandoah Community Health Clinic (Woodstock).

“Virginia’s free and charitable clinics have seen a 10% increase in patient demand for mental health care services,” said Rufus Phillips, the Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics CEO. “Partnering with VTMHI has helped put qualified mental health resources just a click away for many Virginians in need who have traditionally experienced barriers preventing them from accessing services. We’re proud of the increased access VTMHI has accomplished over the past year and look forward to working with them to expand this crucial resource.”

Under the leadership of the Virginia Telehealth Network, the program is made possible thanks to the collaboration of the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, the Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics, the University of Virginia Karen S. Rheuban Center for Telehealth, the Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center, and VTMHI’s volunteers and free clinic participants.

Interested patients can contact free and charitable clinics directly to determine their eligibility and make appointments. For more information, visit https://virginiatelementalhealth.org/accesscare/.

To learn more about VTMHI, visit https://virginiatelementalhealth.org/.

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With thanks to clinic donors whose support leads to better health for our patients and contributes to success stories such as Sal’s!

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