North Carolina Association of Free & Charitable Clinics

06/11/2026

Congratulations to our member clinic, Community Care Clinic of Franklin, NC, on being named the 2026 State Designated Rural Health Center of the Year!

We are proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition and the impact their team continues to make in their community.

We are excited to announce that our clinic was awarded the Award of Excellence: State Designated Rural Health Center of the Year. Our team is honored to serve our community. Thank you for your continued support and trust.

"The winner of the State Designated Rural Health Center (SDRHC) of the Year Award shows excellence across all of the SDRHC priority areas: primary care access, behavioral health access and clinical quality. The organization also shows excellence in ex*****on of operations through the efficient use of funds from multiple sources, utilizing the support of subject matter experts from AHEC Practice Support and ORH staff. The winner of this award has also modeled our 2026 Theme of "Moving from Tradition to Transformation" by leveraging local resources and community partnerships to respond to health care gaps and has employed innovative strategies to promote health fairness and inclusion in their community to promote long term sustainability."

06/05/2026

Congratulations to Amy Eades Fisher, Executive Director of Good Samaritan Clinic, on being named Burke County's Non-Profit Woman of the Year!

Amy's dedication, leadership, and passion for serving her community make this recognition incredibly well deserved. We are proud to celebrate this well-deserved honor with Amy and the entire Good Samaritan Clinic team!

05/26/2026

Please join us in thanking Margaret Elliott for her many years of dedicated service to Crisis Control Ministry and the NCAFCC. Her leadership, compassion, and commitment have made a lasting impact on communities across North Carolina.

We congratulate Margaret on her well-deserved retirement and wish her all the best in this next chapter!

05/15/2026

We are still thinking about the great energy all our members brought to the conference!

One of the best parts of the NCAFCC Annual Conference was seeing everyone come together, clinic leaders, partners, and teams connecting, laughing, and sharing the work that brings us all here.

Moments like these are what “Stronger Together” really looks like.

05/07/2026

At our 2026 Annual Conference, we were proud to recognize Judy Martin, volunteer at Cook Community Clinic, as the recipient of the 2026 Don Lucey Award, with the award accepted on her behalf by Cook Community Clinic.

Named in honor of Don Lucey, a passionate champion of free and charitable clinics for more than 35 years, this prestigious award is selected by the NCAFCC Board of Directors and celebrates a volunteer who consistently goes above and beyond in service to their clinic and community.

Judy’s commitment, generosity, and impact truly embody the spirit of this award.

Congratulations, Judy!

05/06/2026

We are so blessed to be attending the Rooted in Resilience Training hosted by the North Carolina Association of Free & Charitable Clinics this week in the Raleigh area with our neighboring partners, Jeanette Conley and Jennifer Martinez-Garcia with Greater Hickory Cooperative Christian Ministry

05/06/2026

At our 2026 Annual Conference, we were honored to recognize Pauline Carpenter, Executive Director at The Free Clinics, as the recipient of the 2026 Spirit of Free and Charitable Clinics Award.

This award is presented each year to an individual who truly embodies the mission and spirit of free and charitable clinics. Selected by NCAFCC staff, it highlights someone whose compassion, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment make a lasting impact on the communities they serve.

Pauline’s dedication and leadership reflect the very best of what this work stands for.

Congratulations, Pauline!

05/05/2026

We had an incredible evening at our 2026 Annual Conference celebrating our clinics and honoring this year’s outstanding award recipients!

One of the most special moments of the night was presenting our newest recognition, the NCAFCC Leadership Award. This award was created to spotlight an individual who exemplifies exceptional leadership across our network, someone who goes above and beyond in sharing their time, talent, and positive energy to help fellow free and charitable clinics thrive.

Strong leadership is everywhere within our membership, but this award recognizes someone truly extraordinary.

Congratulations to Amy Carr, Executive Director of Matthews Free Medical Clinic, our 2026 NCAFCC Leadership Award recipient!

05/04/2026

Last week, we were thrilled to bring together clinics, partners, and leaders from across North Carolina for the NCAFCC 2026 Annual Conference: Rooted in Resilience, Stronger Together.

That is exactly what this event exemplified.

This year’s conference created a space centered on collaboration, learning, and shared purpose. It was inspiring to see clinic leaders come together to connect, share insights, and strengthen one another in this important work.

From meaningful legislative and health policy updates to conversations on leadership, adaptability, and the future of care, the conference offered both learning and connection.

Just as impactful were the relationships built and strengthened, reinforcing a network rooted in resilience and a shared commitment to expanding access to care. We are so grateful to everyone who helped make this such a meaningful event.

04/24/2026

Congratulations to Sissy Lee-Elmore on her well-deserved retirement after 27 years of serving as the Executive Director of WATCH in Goldsboro, NC! Not only has Sissy's exceptional work touched those in and around Wayne County, but she has also been a steadfast leader at the state level, having also served on NCAFCC's Board of Directors for 8 years, 2 of which as Board Chair. Cindy Jones, NCAFCC's Director of Quality & Clinical Support and Allison Kelly, NCAFCC's Director of Operations & Membership were honored to attend her retirement party this week to celebrate with her and her team. We will miss Sissy dearly at NCAFCC and we wish her all the very best in this new chapter!