CHEFA in the Community: Community Health Services COVID-19 Grant Makes a Difference

CHEFA is proud to support organizations like the Community Health Center Association of Connecticut (CHCACT), providing crucial healthcare services to CT residents regardless of ability to pay or citizenship status. 

We recently received an email from Judy Tallman, the Director Grants & Outreach for Community Health Services (one of CHCACT member organizations), detailing how our FY 2021 COVID-19 Grant Program is making a difference for some of their most underserved clients. 

“…CHEFA funding – passed through CHCACT – was able to help one of our most severely underserved clients during COVID.

CHS has for many years been the recipient of funding to provide clinical care to the MSAW (Migrant, Seasonal and Agricultural Workers) population. We have a mix of H2A Visa folks and locally-based, seasonal workers who are often undocumented. Under this funding we provide clinical care visits and needed support services to the MSAW’s.

Spring 2020 brought the COVID-19 to our world. MSAW’s like most workers, were affected deeply by the pandemic. Reduced hours were common if these individuals had work and many times the farms just were not hiring.

One of our clients is a 37-year-old seasonal undocumented worker who is also the single father of an 11-year old daughter. He had not had steady work all season and was literally doing anything and everything – yard work, odd painting and cleanup jobs – to make some money to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table. Being undocumented, there were no safety net programs to assist them. He found his way to CHS for clinical care for his daughter and himself. CHS providers were able to attend to their medical and dental needs. We were also able to give him a 4-CT debit card food assistance and a patient kit – a bag filled with basic human and household needs. The debit card and the patient kit were funded by CHEFA.

Undocumented folks are regular clients at CHS. They know we are a place of safety and refuge where they can safely access services without fear of raising their visibility with any government agencies. In 2020, CHEFA funding enabled us to truly assist them in maintaining at least some sense of normal life.

CHS cannot thank you enough for all that you have done to help the most vulnerable of our clients.

Regards, Judy…”