Rising needs, shared responsibility in 2026

As His Hands Free Clinic looks toward 2026, we do so with gratitude — and with urgency. For more than three decades, His Hands Free Clinic has served neighbors who lack access to affordable health care: people who are working, raising families, and contributing to our community, yet remain uninsured or underinsured. As we approach our 35th year of service in 2027, the need for this mission is not only growing — it is accelerating.

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Demand for care continues to rise. Each year, more patients turn to His Hands Free Clinic for medical and dental services, often presenting with more complex and advanced conditions than in years past. In 2025, we expanded to include mental health services after witnessing firsthand the growing emotional and psychological strain affecting our patients. This growth affirms the clinic’s role in our community — but it also raises the stakes.

At the same time, health care costs are climbing rapidly. Medications, medical supplies, facility upkeep, technology, and staffing support all cost significantly more than they did even a few years ago. Every patient visit now requires more resources. For a free clinic, this reality is especially pressing. The challenge before us is not whether the need exists, but whether we are prepared — and funded — to meet it.

His Hands Free Clinic has always relied on an extraordinary network of support. Volunteer physicians, dentists, counselors, nurses, and health care professionals give generously of their expertise. Donors, churches, businesses, foundations, and community partners provide the financial resources that make free care possible. This generosity has sustained the clinic for decades — and now, we hope it can grow in proportion to the rising demand and escalating costs of care.

This is why partnerships that expand awareness and support are so meaningful. In 2026, His Hands Free Clinic is honored to be named a charity recipient of the Cedar Rapids Marathon. This partnership brings both critical funding and greater visibility, connecting new supporters to a mission that directly impacts the health and well-being of our neighbors.

Looking ahead, 2026 will be a year of preparation and resolve. Meeting rising needs in a time of increasing costs will require shared responsibility and renewed commitment. With continued and growing community support, His Hands Free Clinic will remain a place where care is given freely — and where faith is lived out through action, compassion, and love of neighbor.

Cathy D'mello is executive director of His Hands Free Clinic.