Medica Foundation Provides Emergency Funding to Support Access to Care in Mankato and Southern Minnesota
The Medica Foundation announces a $50,000 emergency funding grant to Open Door Health Center – a Federally Qualified Health Center – to help sustain access to essential health care services for individuals and families across Mankato and Southern Minnesota during a period of heightened demand and uncertainty.
The funding is part of a broader $2.4 million emergency relief effort focused on stabilizing essential community support during a period of heightened uncertainty and growing demand.
“We’ve been listening closely to our grantees and engaging in rapid response conversations to understand what communities are asking for right now,” said Shelly d’Almeida, Sr. Program Manager at the Medica Foundation. “This investment helps community clinics like Open Door Health Center continue delivering essential care at a time when more families have fewer options.”
Open Door Health Center serves a diverse patient population across more than 20 counties in Southern Minnesota. Many patients face economic, transportation, language, or insurance‑related barriers to care. The clinic provides integrated medical, dental, and behavioral health services, along with care coordination, interpretation, and wraparound support to help ensure patients receive timely, appropriate care.
Overall, $1 million was invested in current Medica Foundation grantees working to sustain critical programming in mental and chemical health, as well as early childhood health; $500,000 was awarded to NAMI Minnesota (the National Alliance on Medical Illness) to help address rising mental health needs and support the long term strength of Minnesota’s behavioral health infrastructure; $500,000 was awarded to Federally Qualified Health Centers across the state – safety‑net clinics that provide integrated medical, behavioral, dental, and behavioral health care, often in multiple languages, for uninsured and underinsured populations; and $400,000 funded both the Immigrant Rapid Response Fund through the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota and the Economic Response Fund through the Minneapolis Foundation.
“Community partners across Minnesota are seeing rising demand for care at the same time funding is becoming less predictable,” d’Almeida added. “Our responsive funding is helping ensure essential services remain available and communities aren’t left without support.”
In response to escalating behavioral health needs and continued pressure on community‑based providers, the Medica Foundation increased its annual investment in mental and chemical health initiatives to $3 million this year, reinforcing its long‑standing commitment to advancing health equity across Minnesota.
