The Free Clinics

What The Free Clinics does

The Free Clinics is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community health organization incorporated as Henderson County Free Medical Clinic, Inc., founded in December 2001 and headquartered in Hendersonville, North Carolina. It provides free acute medical care, chronic and specialty disease management, behavioral health services, pharmaceutical support, and social-determinant-of-health programs to uninsured, low-income residents of Henderson and Polk Counties whose income is at or below 300% of the federal poverty level. The organization operates a walk-in medical clinic, the Bridges to Health group-visit program, an on-site community pharmacy, the Phoenix Project trauma-informed care program, the Post-Overdose Response Team, correctional health services at the Henderson County Detention Center, and ancillary programs such as Patient Health Advocacy, a Community Garden, and Bikes 4 Life.

Service delivery is enabled by a volunteer-driven operating model comprising 280+ volunteers, 170+ healthcare and community partners, and 750+ donors, with 11-50 paid staff coordinating the network. The technology footprint is minimal: no proprietary software platform, no AI/ML systems, and core delivery is conducted in person across two physical sites (Hendersonville headquarters at 841 Case Street and the Columbus, NC Polk County office opened in 2020) plus partner facilities. Patient Health Advocacy and Community Case Management extend reach into food, housing, and transportation resources through partner referrals.

The Free Clinics is funded entirely through donations, corporate sponsorships, event fundraising (Salon, Sunset Dining), and foundation/government grants; documented grants include SAMHSA ($625,000, 2018), Duke Endowment ($730,000, 2018), Pisgah Health Foundation ($75,000, 2020), Dogwood Health Trust ($16,300, 2020), Family Medicine Cares USA ($10,000, 2021), and SECU Foundation ($40,000, 2024). Annual operating budget is approximately $1.2 million, with a documented social return on investment of roughly $6-$8 of care delivered for every $1 invested and an estimated $116.8 million in cumulative value of care provided over 22 years. Services are provided at no cost to eligible patients, and there is no fee-for-service revenue component.

Name

The Free Clinics

Legal name

Henderson County Free Medical Clinic, Inc.

Website

https://thefreeclinics.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Free Clinics is a Hendersonville, NC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free acute, chronic, behavioral, and pharmaceutical healthcare to uninsured, low-income residents of Henderson and Polk Counties, North Carolina, through a volunteer-driven model with 280+ volunteers and 170+ community partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Health Services

NAICS

Outpatient Care Centers (6214), Offices of Physicians (except Mental Health Specialists) (621111)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail & Walk-In Primary Care Clinics (HLAFAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outpatient Mental Health Clinics & Counseling Centers (HLAFACAA), Community-Based Preventive & Health Promotion Clinics (HLAFAGAO)

Keywords

• Community health services
• Free medical clinic
• Behavioral health services
• Prescription assistance
• Chronic disease management

Headquarters

HQ city

Hendersonville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: The Free Clinics operates as a nonprofit and relies on donations from individuals, corporate sponsors, and grants from foundations to fund operations. Services are provided free of charge to eligible patients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Free Clinics is a community-based, volunteer-driven nonprofit organization that provides free acute clinical care, chronic disease management, behavioral health services, pharmaceutical support, and community health programs to uninsured, low-income residents of Henderson and Polk Counties in North Carolina. Services are delivered through walk-in medical clinics, specialty clinics (psychiatric, eye, endocrinology), an on-site community pharmacy, behavioral health navigation, chronic care management programs like Bridges to Health, and community outreach initiatives addressing social determinants of health.

Product overview

The Free Clinics is a community-based, volunteer-driven healthcare organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of clinical services, behavioral health programs, pharmaceutical support, and community health initiatives for uninsured, low-income residents of Henderson and Polk Counties in North Carolina. The organization operates as a single integrated delivery system rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture, combining acute care (Medical Clinic), chronic and specialty care (Bridges to Health, Diabetes Program, Eye Clinic, Endocrinology Clinic), behavioral health services (Psychiatric Clinic, Counseling, Behavioral Health Navigation, Phoenix Project, Post-Overdose Response Team), pharmaceutical support (Community Pharmacy, Medi-Find, Medication Therapy Management, Naloxone Program), and community health programs (Patient Health Advocacy, Community Garden, Bikes 4 Life, Wellness Screenings, Flu Shot Clinics) alongside correctional healthcare services at the Henderson County Detention Center. Services are delivered through a network of over 200 volunteers and 180+ community health partners, with care coordination enabled through Community Case Management referrals to specialty providers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bridges to Health: A collaborative program targeting uninsured patients who over-utilize hospital emergency departments, offering weekly drop-in group medical visits staffed by a physician, nurse case manager, mental health specialist, and pharmacist.
• The Phoenix Project
• Medi-Find Prescription Assistance Program
• Community Pharmacy
• PORT (Post-Overdose Response Team)
• Bikes 4 Life
• Community Garden

Products and services

• Medical Clinic A drop-in medical clinic operating Tuesday evenings providing non-emergent ambulatory care similar to a free urgent care facility, serving 10-12 patients per clinic on a first-come, first-served basis. For uninsured, low-income residents of Henderson and Polk Counties.
• Bridges to Health A collaborative program targeting uninsured patients with high emergency department utilization, offering weekly drop-in group medical visits staffed by a physician, nurse case manager, mental health specialist, and pharmacist to address non-emergent healthcare needs. For uninsured patients with complex needs and high ED utilization.
• Diabetes Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 52% reduction in inappropriate emergency department utilization
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Pardee HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner in Bridges to Health program; provides hospital services and referrals for TFC patients needing specialty care
• MAHEC (Mountain Area Health Education Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner in Bridges to Health program; provides medical education and residency support
• Access II CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner in Bridges to Health program
• AdventHealth (formerly Park Ridge Health)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhoenix Project partner providing primary care, OB/GYN, and behavioral health services; received Duke Endowment Grant for Phoenix Project
• SafelightcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhoenix Project collaborator providing trauma-informed services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault
• Vaya HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with TFC to provide mental health and recovery services for Henderson County Detention Center inmates
• Blue Ridge HealthcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFederally Qualified Health Center partner providing additional primary care sites and services including 7th Avenue location for Bridges to Health expansion
• Henderson County Department of Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOVID-19 vaccination collaboration; partner in Post-Overdose Response Team (PORT) program
• Henderson County Sheriff's OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDetention Center health services partnership; Behavioral Health Navigation for Inmates program
• Henderson County Detention CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTFC provides Bridges to Health program, licensed behavioral health clinician, patient health advocate, and discharge navigator at the jail
• Looking Glass Eye CenterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEye care partner providing cataract surgery and treatment for referred patients
• Blue Ridge Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent volunteers in pharmacy and medical interpreting; referral partner for learners
• Society of St. AndrewminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFarm gleaning partnership bringing fresh produce to TFC patients
• Steps to HopeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhoenix Project partner supporting survivors in the community
• Mission Health SystemminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHospital partner providing specialty care referrals and services
• St. Luke's HospitalminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHospital partner in Polk County providing specialty care referrals
• Conserving CarolinaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Ironwood Square Rain Water Harvesting System at community garden
• NC State College of Agricultural Life SciencesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for community garden water conservation project
• NC Cooperative ExtensionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for community garden water conservation project
• City of HendersonvilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded rain water harvesting system at community garden; supporting Hendersonville Connections Center
• Robert Wood Johnson FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured TFC Bridges to Health model on Culture of Health Blog; recognized Dr. Crane as Health Equity Leader of the Year 2017
• United Way of Henderson CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured TFC during United Way Moment to highlight COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund impact

Scale indicators23 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Henderson County Department of Public Health: Local public health agency operating in the same county; collaborates with TFC on COVID-19 vaccination and the Post-Overdose Response Team and provides overlapping preventive and primary care services to low-income residents.
• Western North Carolina Community Health Services (WNCCHS): FQHC serving low-income and uninsured residents across Western North Carolina; comparable to TFC in mission, patient population, and comprehensive primary/behavioral care delivery, and a likely competitor for the same regional grant pool.
• Volunteers in Medicine: National network of volunteer-driven free clinics providing free healthcare to uninsured, low-income patients; operates on an essentially identical model to TFC and serves as a benchmark for replication and benchmarking.
• Blue Ridge Health: Federally Qualified Health Center serving Western North Carolina including Henderson County; directly comparable as a community-based primary care provider for underserved patients in the same geography, and a formal TFC channel partner.
• Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC): Regional health education and primary care organization in Western NC; a founding partner in TFC's Bridges to Health program and a direct comparator in residency education, primary care, and care for underserved populations.

Others

• Dogwood Health Trust: Regional foundation investing in Western NC health equity; a significant current TFC funder (Polk County ION grant) and a comparable ecosystem player that channels capital to free clinics, FQHCs, and safety-net providers in TFC's footprint.
• North Carolina Association of Free & Charitable Clinics: State-level association of free and charitable clinics in NC; a peer ecosystem organization offering shared learning, advocacy, and grant programs to TFC and similar free clinics across the state.
• National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (NAFC): National trade association for the free and charitable clinic sector; comparable as the umbrella body representing TFC's model and providing shared resources, advocacy, and standards for similar clinics nationwide.

Broad incumbents

• Pardee UNC Health Care: Community hospital and founding Bridges to Health partner; provides specialty referrals, ED, and inpatient services to TFC patients and is a key system-level stakeholder that benefits directly from TFC's reductions in uncompensated ED utilization.
• AdventHealth Hendersonville (formerly Park Ridge Health): Regional health system that co-leads the Duke Endowment-funded Phoenix Project with TFC; comparable as a partner/incumbent offering primary care, OB/GYN, and behavioral health in the same service area.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thefreeclinics
• Instagraminstagram.com/tfchendersonville
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-free-clinics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Free Clinics