Community Care Clinic of Rowan County has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Foundation.

The money will be used for operating support of the pharmacy program.

The Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Foundation grant awards totaled $1,038,730 to 25 nonprofit organizations located in North and South Carolina. The grant funds will be used for a wide variety of purposes by the organizations. Supported programs include affordable housing, children’s services, crisis assistance, food distribution, health care, immigration assistance, legal services and social services.

Connie Antosek, executive director of Community Care Clinic, said this funding will help the clinic continue to provide prescription medications, counseling and medication management to the qualified residents of Rowan County.

The clinic provides medical and dental care and prescription medications to qualified residents of Rowan County using volunteer medical professionals and skilled support staff. The purpose of the clinic is to help the low income uninsured residents gain access to medical, dental and pharmacy services.

The clinic recorded more that 1,844 medical visits and 455 dental visits in 2006. The in-house pharmacy dispensed more than 5,000 prescription medications and provided counseling and medication management.

During its 10 years of operation, the clinic has provided services to more than 26,500 patients and dispensed more than 47,000 prescription medications.

Many residents receiving services are unemployed or unable to afford health insurance coverage. According to the 2006 United Way Health and Human Needs Assessment, access to medical and dental care is one of the primary areas of concern for many Rowan County residents.

The Community Care Clinic is supported by grants from foundations, contributions and fundraisers. The Sisters of Mercy is one of the few foundations that award funding for operating expenses.

The clinic offers day and evening clinics for basic health care, dental and pharmacy services for qualified adults. For more information about its eligibility requirements and services, call 704-636-4523.

For more information on the Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Foundation, call 704-366-0087 or visit www.somncfdn.org.