July 30, 2010
Clothing piled up at Harvest Time International in Sanford after a hurricane ravaged Haiti. Now the group will bring care home. Archive photos by Isaac Babcock — The Voice
By Michael Clinton
The Voice
After donating more than two million pounds of relief medical supplies to earthquake victims in Haiti, Harvest Time International is focusing on providing medical care to uninsured and low-income Central Floridians.
The Sanford nonprofit plans to open a medical clinic later this year and needs to raise about $250,000 before October to purchase medical supplies and examination equipment including blood analyzers, sonogram machines and digital x-ray machines.
Harvest Time, a hunger and disaster relief organization, has been helping low income and financially distressed families in Central Florida and worldwide since 1994, and around 500 local families receive assistance every day.
The new Medical Care Center would provide medical care for uninsured and low-income families in Seminole and surrounding counties.
 Lena Smolinsky, Outreach and Communications Director at Harvest Time, said that Seminole County has about 80,000 residents who do not have health insurance, and this is one of the major reasons Harvest Time decided to open a clinic.
"We have families coming everyday for food assistance," she said. "In our surveys, a majority of them have no insurance."
The clinic will offer basic health care, such a flu care, but it will be limited to the types of doctors who volunteer their time.
Harvest Time does expect that about 6,000-10,000 residents a year will receive assistance, but that number could increase depending on how many doctors volunteer.
One of such doctors who intends to volunteer is Dr. Don Colbert, who has seen Harvest Time grow for more than 20 years and says they need someone to help with the medical side of things.
Colbert has been working with Harvest Time for the last year to get the clinic up and running.
"It's almost a perfect, ideal scenario," he said.
Colbert, who has been board certified in family practice since 1987, said that this clinic is a big need for the community because of the high amount of uninsured.
"I see a great need in those who have slipped through the cracks and have no insurance."
One such family is Brian and Martha Millis of Sanford.
Brian, who built solar panel circuit boards, was laid off when the government canceled his company's contract and outsourced it to China.
Brian has since been uninsured for more than two years and needs health care for his diabetic wife. He has had multiple heart attacks.
"Who wants to hire a 57-year-old when you can hire a 20-year-old?" he asked.
Brian and Martha attempted to visit a free clinic, but even then they cannot afford it.
The Millises are extremely excited to hear about the potential clinic, and they plan to utilize it frequently.
Clinic donations have only recently begun and they have raised more than $1,000 just through word of mouth. With future fundraising events being planned, Smolinsky expects to meet the $250,000 goal.
Donations needed
In order for their $250,000 goal to be met, Harvest Time needs your help.
With a minimum donation of $500, your name will be printed on the huge community plaque to be displayed at the entrance of the Medical Care Center. For more information on Harvest Time, or to donate, visit their website at www.harvest-time.org
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