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Downtown Louisville clinic celebrates International Homeless Healthcare Day

Local clinic serves homeless population free of charge at office and on streets.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) -- The city has made major strides in the last year to better serve its homeless population. It’s been a collaboration between police, city leaders and outreach organizations.

The collaboration kicked off on International Homeless Healthcare Day 2017. One year later, the groups celebrated the progress made.

The Family Health Center is located in the heart of a neighborhood that needs it.

"Not a day goes by that I'm not sending someone in the direction of the family health center,” Metro Council member Barbara Sexton Smith said.

The clinic always keeps busy.

LMPD Lt. Todd Felty added, "This is a one-stop shop to get people to come in and make sure that they're going to be healthy."

Physicians at the clinic offer more than medicine. They offer opportunity.

Timothy Gahafer knows firsthand.

"Very grateful, I would say very grateful,” Gahafer said.

He's used the clinic in the past. Gahafer said he got a TB test done when he needed access into a shelter and then found support that helped him get back up after life had knocked him down.

"It makes me very happy that there's people out there that are willing, you know, help people in a situation like that,” Gahafer said.

The clinic is the only one of its kind in our area, offering all services to any homeless person, completely free of charge.

Family Healthcare Center’s Amanda Mills said, "We have health services, chemical dependency services. We also do common assessments to help people get into housing. We also do case management and have all kinds of peer support services."

It’s a long list of services but an even longer list of those looking for help.

The clinic does outreach every day that they're open by sending teams out to treat those living on the streets.

Leaders say they are in need of donations right now to help them get through winter. The supplies they need include:

-Backpacks

-Tents

-Sleeping bags

-Socks

-Underclothes

-Wash rags

-Towels

-Hygiene items

-Nonperishable food items

-Heat sources

-Bottled water

Donations can be dropped off at 712 E. Muhammad Ali Louisville, KY 40202.

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