PORTLAND, Ore — The Regence Foundation announced today a $20,000 grant for North by Northeast Community Health Center, which offers basic medical services and health screenings at no charge to low- income individuals without health insurance living in inner north and northeast Portland. The clinic was nominated for this grant by six Regence employees as part of the company’s second annual employee-nominated Transformation Grant program.

“I nominated North by Northeast for a Regence Foundation Transformation Grant because without their services, uninsured residents in inner north and northeast Portland would essentially be without medical care unless they went to the ER,” said Carrie Bader, Regence health coach and one of the employee nominators. “I also really admire the founders of North by Northeast, Pastor Mary Overstreet and Dr. Jill Ginsberg, and their commitment to addressing a critical community health need.”

North by Northeast Community Health Center was started in 2005 to address the health care needs of Hurricane Katrina survivors who had been relocated to the Portland area. It soon became obvious, however, that lack of health care was a problem not only for those displaced by the hurricane, but for many long-time neighborhood residents as well. Since then, the clinic has become an integral part of the community, and recently moved to a new, larger location where it will be able to treat more patients.

“We believe that access to quality, affordable care is the foundation for a strong community,” said Michael Alexander, Regence Foundation board chair, “and we’re proud to support North by Northeast and the positive work they’re doing in a community that bears a disproportionate burden of poverty and lack of health care.”

For more information about North by Northeast Community Health Center, visit www.nxneclinic.org.

This grant was funded through The Regence Fund at The Oregon Community Foundation.