PRESS RELEASE

Plainfield Health Center Receives Gift from St. Marks Church
Church Remembers Ms. Lilly and Her Commitment to PHC

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, June 25, 2002-PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY- The Plainfield Health Center, one of thirteen Federally Qualified Health Centers in New Jersey, dedicated to providing cost effective primary health care services for the residents of Plainfield and surrounding communities, is proud to acknowledge a two thousand dollar commemorative gift received yesterday, from St. Marks Church. The gift was the second part of a three thousand dollar pledge from St. Marks in Ms. Nathalie Lilly's name.

Ms. Lilly was one of the original crusaders for the establishment of a health care facility for the underserved in the Plainfield community. She, along with a small group of other supporters, ensured that public health issues were addressed by the City of Plainfield in the Model Cities initiative of the 1960's. Over the decades, the public health care crisis has become an even greater concern in the community and in the country, and the foresight of Ms. Lilly and others like her, has enabled the Plainfield Health Center to continue to provide the care it provides today.

"The St. Mark's family fondly remembers Ms. Nathalie Lilly's many expressions of generosity and caring in the Plainfield community, and is delighted to give this donation to the Plainfield Health Center in her memory," said The Reverend Canon Leroy A. Lyons. "Ms. Lilly was a special friend of both organizations and it is our pleasure to support the Plainfield Health Center family, which she loved dearly."

"Ms. Lilly was a great supporter, and without the commitment that she and others had, the Plainfield Health Center may never have started its mission to provide primary health care to all, regardless of insurance and economic status," said Julane Miller-Armbrister, President and CEO of the Plainfield Health Center. "Our core mission has not changed from the 1960's, although our services have expanded well beyond prenatal care. Most important, we continue to strive to break down access barriers to primary health care for all, and this donation supports that important goal, and we are most appreciative."

About The Plainfield Health Center

The Plainfield Health Center, incorporated as the Plainfield Neighborhood Health Services Corporation, was born in 1969 under the auspices of the 1960's Model Cities Neighborhood Program. Led by a dedicated group of community activists, the Center was initially created to provide accessible health care to the residents of the West End of Plainfield.

Since then, the Center has grown, added more services, increased the number of specialties of professional health staff, and expanded its reach to the entire City of Plainfield and neighboring communities. Today, the Plainfield Health Center serves more than 17,000 patients annually. Its total care program provides adult medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, adolescent medicine, school based services, dentistry and ancillary support services.

copyright © PHC 2002