A Letter to Our Communities

From the Executive Director

To the communities we serve:

I speak for all at Neighborhood HealthSource when I say our sadness and frustration over the events of this past week is profound. The death of George Floyd at the hands of several Minneapolis police officers is a tragedy and an injustice. The violence exhibited by a small group of individuals over the last couple of days is also unacceptable, and has further traumatized our community.

Some of you may know that our Fremont Clinic site was broken into in the early morning hours of last Friday. Damage was minimal and we are back in full operation at that site as of this afternoon.

More than simply the catalyst for the ongoing unrest of the past week, Mr. Floyd’s death was the spark that ignited combustible material that has been accumulating for years. The disparities in economic opportunity, education, housing, and health experienced by many of our neighbors have combined to fuel despair and hopelessness. The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified these disparities, and further destabilized an already untenable situation. We as a community must demand accountability from our appointed and elected officials to change the culture of our police department and to implement necessary procedures to ensure public safety.

Neighborhood HealthSource exists to care for those in our communities most in need. That mission is now more important than ever—in the midst of a pandemic and ongoing uncertainty, we are committed to our efforts to eliminate health disparities and support the most vulnerable in our communities. Our clinics are open and here to serve your health care needs, both in person and remotely via telehealth.

Sincerely,
Steven J. Knutson, Executive Director