St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic hosts first-ever health resource fair, food distribution
By Gabrielle Nolan
More than 100 patrons received health information and a box of food at St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic’s first-ever Health Resource Fair and Food Distribution event, which took place on Nov. 15 at the Senior Citizens Center in Oneida.
The mobile medical clinic, which provides free health care to the medically uninsured in East Tennessee, had a goal of reaching residents in Scott County, which includes the communities of Oneida, Helenwood, and Huntsville.
“The experience was wonderful,” said Rebecca Pipkins, community-outreach coordinator for the clinic. “I was nervous that we would get the resources in the room but that the community wouldn’t come. This was the best time to be wrong. The community showed up in droves, and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome.”
For over two years, St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic has been serving the Scott County community with once-a-month visits from the mobile clinic.
“Despite the evident need in the area, we saw that the community was not utilizing our services as we had hoped. This led us to reflect on how we could better connect with the people we aim to serve and build trust within the community,” Ms. Pipkins said.
An idea was born: a health resource fair and food distribution day.
“During our time in Scott County, we’ve had the privilege of working alongside dedicated local leaders who are deeply passionate about their community. Through these relationships, we discovered the wealth of resources available in Scott County. However, we also realized that many residents didn’t know of these resources—or of our clinic’s presence,” Ms. Pipkins remarked. “In two short months, this vision became a reality. We were able to connect the people of Scott County with the resources and support available in their own community.”
Nearly 20 organizations participated in the fair, including the Scott County Health Department, Big South Fork Medical, the Family Justice Center, Helenwood Pregnancy Center, Quality Home Health, and more. Catholic Charities of East Tennessee provided the food boxes.
“When I pulled up to the Senior Citizens Center at 9 a.m., two hours before the event started, and saw a line of about 20 people outside waiting, I felt this overwhelming feeling of gratitude that we get this wonderful opportunity to connect with people today,” Ms. Pipkins shared. “It took us a full hour to get the initial line through the door; we had to let people in five at a time so as not to overwhelm the space and vendors. And despite waiting in the cold, the people in line were so nice, gracious, and kind. They seemed so thankful for this opportunity to learn about resources that are at their disposal; we even signed up three new patients!”
“It was a day of connection, collaboration, and hope, reflecting the power of trust and partnership to make a meaningful difference,” she added.
St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic has been serving the Scott County area since 2022.
The clinic has been serving in conjunction with St. Jude Parish in Helenwood and Catholic Charities of East Tennessee, which operates one of its six Pregnancy Help Centers on the St. Jude campus.
For more information on the clinic and its 10 site locations, visit smlcares.com.
