The 1st Source Foundation has awarded HealthLinc with a $25,000 grant to go toward the clinic’s new optometry center in Mishawaka, Ind.
The grant was made possible through the Foundation, which works with 1st Source Bank to give back to companies making a difference in their area.
The Foundation was established to work for the success of its communities and all who live and do business within them. It supports organizations that have established and demonstrated their ability to make a fundamental difference and promotes local development efforts and sound business purposes that serve as model corporate citizens.
The Foundation provides support to organizations working in the areas of social welfare and human services, education, arts and culture, and community and economic development. Those interested in the grant are asked to apply and explain how they would plan to use the money should they be selected. That plan, the impact it will have on the community, and how it features the foundation’s values will all be considered upon evaluation.
1st Source Foundation chose HealthLinc as the recipient of the grant for these very reasons. When HealthLinc applied, the company stated they would use the grant to build an optometry room at its current Mishawaka location. This would allow patients to have access to affordable eye care.
“Our relationship dates back over a decade and is more than a business relationship; it’s a community partnership with a focus on helping one another and working together in the spirit of service to make our communities better. HealthLinc and 1st Source operate in many of the same communities, so some natural synergies exist to help that partnership flourish. This grant is a good example of our broader teams working together,” said Matt Vessely, 1st Source Bank west region president.
Beth Wrobel, CEO of HealthLinc, mirrors Vessely’s words and said the Foundation was easily behind the goals HealthLinc is working to achieve.
“1st Source is a partner. It's one of our many banks that we have,” Wrobel said. “I think that was part of why they came to us. They knew that we did a lot. They understood what we do in St. Joe County, and I think because they saw us coming over there that they wanted to support us.”
Wrobel said her company is quickly expanding, especially in the Mishawaka area, and this was the main reason the company applied for the grant.
“They knew we were doing more in St. Joe County. Originally, we were just here in Porter County, but we've expanded. Our biggest expansion has been in the St. Joe County area. We actually have five clinics over there,” she said.
HealthLinc is a health center in northern Indiana that works to make healthier communities, especially those individuals who may struggle to receive or afford medical assistance.
“Each one of our clinics has outreach people and navigators,” said HealthLinc Site Operations Director Jodie Wexelberg. "If someone comes into our clinic and they don't have insurance, they're identified through some of our efforts in the communities, and we let them know we can help them. We will serve you even if you don't. We can help you find affordable insurance through the marketplace, through the state programs, and it doesn't matter if you don't have it, we're still going to help you."
Wrobel said by adding an optometry center, people in the Mishawaka region will be able to easily access the eye care they need. Without proper eye care, she said a person is limited as to what they can do, and that can serve as a major hurdle down the road.
“Our mission is to create healthy communities. We start more with the underserved populations, those people on Medicaid, Medicare, or uninsured. If you need to go to the ER but you can't see, you won’t be able to go. You might not be able to go get a job. You can't get a driver's license. There's just many things you can't do,” Wrobel said.
The optometry center will help work around those obstacles.
“If we get them a pair of glasses or scan for diabetes in their eyes, which is one of the first areas that shows up, they'll be able to get ahead. The plan was to add an optometrist, and then we will see our patients whether they're on Medicaid, Medicare, and offer optometry on a sliding fee basis,” Wrobel said.
Wexelberg stated that even one location can make a huge difference in the community.
“I speak for the entire staff when I say our mission is to create healthy communities. Being able to provide more preventative and regular medical services, such as pharmacies and optometry in one location really helps us live that mission,” she said.
Wrobel explained that while there’s not a set opening date yet, the clinic will open to the public once they hire an optometrist.
To learn more about 1st Source Foundation, visit https://www.1stsource.com/, and to learn more about HealthLinc, visit https://healthlincchc.org/.
