BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — The Caridad Center in Boynton Beach offers comprehensive health care for thousands of Palm Beach County residents. In 2021, it assisted more than 40,000 patients with medical, vision and dental care.
The Caridad Center is the largest free health care center in Florida.
On Monday, it is set to receive $1.1 million in federal funding. U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Fla., submitted the Caridad Center for funding and will be visiting the center Monday to make the announcement.
"It's going to benefit all of us because people are healthy because they go to work, they stay out of emergency rooms," Frankel said. "Healthy children thrive. They go to school. It's good to keep ourselves and our neighbors healthy."
Many of the doctors and dentists volunteer their time to the clinic, but the equipment needed comes at a cost. Frankel said the federal funding will go towards medical supplies and much-needed infrastructure improvements.
"If the last few years have taught us anything, it's how to keep ourselves happy and our neighbors happy," she said.
Last year alone, the volunteers provided more than $5.1 million in health care services to Palm Beach County families and children.
The Caridad Center is one of nine local nonprofit projects Frankel submitted for funding through the spending bill. The bill is expected to be signed by the President this week.
This is the first time Congress has allocated designated Community Project Funding since 2011.