JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Hundreds of Jacksonville residents received free medical care and support services Saturday morning as Ascension St. Vincent’s hosted its Medical Mission at Home event at the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center.
The convention center transformed into a one-stop resource hub, offering health screenings, primary care services, eye exams, and connections to community programs all at no cost and without appointments.
For many families, the event provided more than healthcare. It brought relief.
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“This is a big, big help for me,” said Shawna Elkins.
Elkins arrived with her husband before the doors opened. Elkins said she had been without insurance for over a month and welcomed the opportunity to receive medical attention.
“It takes a big weight off my shoulders, because I was without insurance for a couple of months,” she said. “So to get checked out is just a really big relief.”
The Medical Mission at Home event returned for the first time since 2019 after the COVID-19 pandemic forced organizers to pause the event. This year, more than 450 volunteers participated in the effort to provide free healthcare services to community members in need.
Organizers said the need for accessible healthcare remains significant across Duval County. According to a recent report, 42% of households in the county fall within the ALICE threshold, meaning many working families struggle to afford basic necessities, including healthcare.
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“People are hurting. Folks don’t have access to care,” said Pauline Rolle, medical director for pediatrics and primary care at Ascension St. Vincent’s.
“Some folks have lost their insurance, and they don’t know where to go. So one of the things we’re doing today is providing them access to care, connecting them with programs in the community that can be helpful to them,” Rolle said.
Walter Elkins said events like this help fill critical gaps for uninsured and underinsured residents.
“It provides a service that’s much needed,” he said. “There’s a lot of individuals that don’t have any insurance or are terribly underinsured. So this service provides something the community really needs,” Walter said.
Others attended to receive services not covered by their insurance plans. Herman Wallace said he came for an eye exam, emphasizing the broader importance of community health initiatives.
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“Health in general, because there’s a lot of folks who have various health issues and it can be of benefit to society as a whole,” Wallace said.
Organizers said the event is about more than one day of care; it is intended to help connect residents with long-term healthcare resources and primary care physicians.
“This is really just the start of getting our community that needs care to the right place, getting them to a primary care physician,” Scott Kashman, Interim market lead at Ascension St. Vincent’s, said.
Ascension St. Vincent’s said planning is already underway for next year’s Medical Mission at Home event.
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