5/2/2001 - A ground breaking ceremony at the site of the future Napa Valley Vintners Community Health Center will be held Friday, May 4, 2001 at 3:00 p.m. The building site is located at 1141 Pear Tree Lane, at the intersection of Villa Lane.
The Center represents an innovative approach to meeting the needs of the underserved population in Napa County. Essentially a one-stop health care facility, the Center will house four individual health agencies that together, meet the basic health care requirements of Napa's most needy population - medical out-patient services, prenatal care, dental care and abused women services.
"Napa Valley's vintners ignited the initial spark for this unique community project," said
John Shafer, chairman of the Center's board of directors and owner of Shafer Vineyards. "They took a creative, innovative approach to charitable giving by setting up a special fund to get the Center built. And now, the entire community is involved in making the Community Health Center a reality," he added.
Funding for the Center began with an initial contribution of $3 million in 1999 from the Napa Valley Wine Auction' Health Care Fund, established by the Napa Valley Vintners . Since then, an additional $2.2 million has been raised through federal and local programs, private foundations and generous individual donors.
The four nonprofit entities to be housed within the Napa Valley Vintners Community Health Center (NVVCHC) are Community Health Clinic Ole, Sister Ann Community Dental Clinic, Napa Emergency Women's Services and Healthy Moms and Babies.
The agencies will benefit from a below market value rent structure, allowing precious funds to be redirected toward service expansion for low-income residents. More than 50 percent of the clients served will be Latino, the majority of who are 200 percent below the national poverty level.
"We're looking toward the community at large to help raise the additional funds needed to complete the Center," said Richard Walton, president of the Center's board of directors and wine industry consultant. "We've had numerous substantial contributions from individual and family foundations, as well as government and community entities, but the need continues for raising the $3 million balance. This is very much a community effort and we hope everyone gets involved," Walton added.
NVVCHC supporters, including Congressman Mike Thompson (D-Napa), State Senator Wes Chesbro, State Assemblywoman Pat Wiggins, the Napa County Board of Supervisors and Napa Mayor Ed Henderson, have been invited to attend the ground-breaking ceremony on May 4th. Father Brenkle of St. Helena Catholic Church will offer a blessing of the site. Other invitees will include representatives of the four health agency/tenants, Napa County, Napa Valley Vintners, Queen of the Valley Hospital, several private foundations, as well as individual contributors.
Tax-deductible donations to the project may be made payable to: Napa Valley Health Care Fund, 6154 Silverado Trail, Napa, CA 94558.
The ceremony is open to the public. For more information, please call 707/944-2877.
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