In the rural community of Glacier County, access to healthcare can depend on more than just availability, it often hinges on transportation, affordability, and community support. That’s where Glacier Community Health Center steps in, offering a range of programs designed to close those gaps for rural residents.
Brianna Juneau reports - watch the video here:
From preventive health initiatives to practical support services, the clinic has become a vital resource. Among its offerings is a 12-week Healthy Hearts program aimed at improving cardiovascular wellness, as well as a winter warming center that provides a safe haven for community members during Montana’s harshest months.
But perhaps its most impactful initiative is the “Glacier On the Go” van—a transportation service that ensures patients can get to and from medical appointments, even if they lack reliable transportation.
“We also have our glacier on the go van. So, patients that need rides to and from their appointments. And then we also bring them to their specialists in Great Falls once a month so far,” said Kimberly Winchell, an outreach specialist with the center.
The service addresses a wide range of barriers faced by rural patients.
“Whether their car has broken down, whether they don't have a vehicle, whether just the cost of gas, whether life situation, you know, sharing car with a spouse—just to be able to have access to your medical team for free,” Winchell explained. “We're really proud that we're able to offer that service.”
Despite the impact, funding these programs has been an ongoing challenge.
“A lot of people assume that we get grants to offer a lot of these programs, and we do not,” Winchell said. “We did get a small grant to help purchase the van in the beginning. But all these programs that we offer to the patients, and the community come out of our bottom line.”
To help sustain and expand these services, the clinic is launching its first major fundraiser: the “Mow It Forward” raffle. Community members can purchase $100 tickets for a chance to win one of three electric mowers from John Deere.
“The idea is to help raise funds for the free programs that we offer to our patients and the community at large,” Winchell said.
The fundraiser reflects both urgency and optimism.
“We thought it would be fun to do a fundraiser to just kind of go big or go home,” she added.
Tickets will be available through May, with winners drawn in June.
“We're only going to be running this through May, so people seem pretty excited about it. We're excited about it. And we can't wait to draw a winner in June.”
As rural healthcare providers across the country grapple with funding and access challenges, Glacier Community Health Center’s efforts highlight the power of community-driven solutions, and the importance of meeting patients where they are, sometimes quite literally, by driving them there.
For more information on how to donate or purchase tickets, click here.
