BBF has provided a grant to Caridad Center to support its Mobile Health Screening Initiative, expanding access to preventive care for underserved communities in Palm Beach County, Florida. This latest grant builds on BBF’s ongoing partnership with Caridad, which includes the donation of a mobile health van to help bring services directly into the community.

The program delivers no-cost dental, vision, and biometric health screenings directly to individuals who face barriers to accessing care. The funding will support the operational costs of mobile screening events, including clinical supplies, equipment, mobile unit operations, and staffing for licensed providers and Community Health Workers. It also supports outreach and follow-up efforts to ensure that individuals with abnormal screening results are connected to appropriate care.

Caridad Center is one of the largest free and charitable clinics in Florida, providing integrated medical, dental, vision, behavioral health, health education, and social services to residents living at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. Each year, the organization serves more than 7,000 patients and delivers approximately 70,000 services, addressing both immediate health needs and the broader factors that impact long-term well-being.

The need for accessible care remains significant. Many patients arrive with untreated chronic conditions, dental emergencies, vision loss, or behavioral health concerns, often after years without access to services due to lack of insurance, language barriers, or financial constraints. Through its comprehensive, patient-centered model, Caridad works to reduce health disparities, prevent avoidable emergency room visits, and improve overall health outcomes.

Caridad’s Mobile Health Screening Initiative plays a critical role in this effort by identifying conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, vision impairment, and oral disease early and connecting individuals to follow-up care. By bringing these services directly into underserved communities, the program helps close gaps in access and supports more consistent, preventive healthcare.