HRHCare Peekskill Health Center Dedicated to Original “Founding Mothers”

Peekskill, NY – On Friday, June 16, HRHCare President and CEO Anne Kauffman Nolon, MPH, was joined by New York State Assemblywoman Sandy Galef, Westchester County Legislator John Testa, Westchester Commissioner of Health Sherlita Amler, MD, and other elected officials to dedicate the flagship HRHCare Peekskill Health Center to its “Founding Mothers”. The building itself was named in honor of HRHCare Executive Vice President and Founding Mother Rev. Jeannette J. Phillips, with three of the Health Center’s departments named in honor of Founding Mothers Mary Woods, Pearl Woods, and Willie Mae Jackson.

“This is a beautiful facility that will serve thousands of people,” said NYS Assemblywoman Sandy Galef. “The fact that the four Founding Mothers made this beautiful site possible is amazing. Their families should feel so proud of the great services provided here for the community”

In the early 1970s, the Founding Mothers, four African American women, saw the need for accessible and affordable health care in their community. As a further expression of the civil rights movement, their leadership, vision, and dedication to health care access for all led to the opening of the Peekskill Ambulatory Health Care Center in 1975. Over the following 42 years, the Health Center, now known as HRHCare Community Health, has grown into a network of 28 Federally Qualified Health Centers; serving over 175,000 patients in diverse communities across lower New York State.

“It is such a joyful occasion to be here to honor the Founding Mothers’ work, and see their dream come true,” said HRHCare President and CEO Anne Kauffman Nolon, MPH. “We wouldn’t be here today without their vision, and the work of the entire community. Their enthusiasm and community spirit live on.”

Members of the Founding Mother’s families received engraved awards from the Health Center, as well as proclamations sent from Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino, declaring June 16, 2017, a day in their honor. Upon receiving her award, Founding Mother Rev. Jeannette J. Phillips stated, “The story of the Founding Mothers is centered on spreading the word about access to health care in our community. Our story has now become your story – now go and tell it!”

About HRHCare

HRHCare Community Health is a nonprofit, New York State licensed, Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). Founded more than 40 years ago to provide care to the medically underserved population of Peekskill, NY, HRHCare is now one of the nation’s largest community health providers. From the Capitol Region to the east end of Long Island, the HRHCare network of 28 health centers provides affordable, accessible care to more than 175,000 patients through 500,000 visits annually. The more than 350 primary care practitioners and 700 specialists and support staff have made HRHCare a destination for high-quality and compassionate care for all.

For more information contact:

Jeffrey Palmer

Public Relations Manager

914.425.0890

jpalmer@hrhcare.org

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