Latest News
Our Partnership with Orange County Rescue Mission
November 2, 2017 Hurtt Family Health Clinic
The Hurtt Family Health Clinic originated in 2001 as a mobile clinic providing free medical care to the homeless of Orange County. It is one of the most significant initiatives of the Orange County Rescue Mission – considered the most comprehensive private homeless services provider in the United States, as well as the largest non-profit, faith based organization in the country.
About Orange County Rescue Mission
The OCRM was founded in the early 1960s by Tech Sergeant Lewis Whitehead. His awakening to the homelessness problem in Orange County was spurred by an altercation he quelled among a group of people living under a bridge in an “undesirable part of the town”. TSgt. Whitehead, who was at that time managing the mess hall at the nearby Marine Corps Air Station in Tustin, found use for the waste food at the mess hall and gave it to the people living “under the bridge”.
From thereon, Sgt. Whitehead took the cause of the Orange County’s homeless to heart, bringing awareness about their plight wherever he went. He rallied support for their cause and his efforts culminated in the birth of the Orange County Rescue Mission.
The OCRM’s flagship transitional living facility, the Village of Hope, is located just minutes away from the Tustin Marine Base and was built solely from private funds donated to the OCRM.
Orange County Rescue Mission Programs
Of the donations received by the organization, 81% goes to programs benefitting the homeless, and only 19% goes to administration, fundraising and communications costs.
The OCRM has adopted several programs in support of the homeless in Orange County, including:
- Shelter
- Housing
- Feeding
- Clothing
- Spiritual
- Veterans support
- Medical
OC Rescue Mission Medical Services
At the center of the OCRM’s medical program is the Hurtt Family Health Clinic. Established in 2000, the clinic started providing healthcare services to the homeless and uninsured of Orange Country through a mobile clinic. In 2008, the OCRM relocated the clinic to the Village of Hope, which remains one of the clinic’s three permanent sites to this day.
The clinic was named after the Hurtt family, who are longtime donors of the OCRM. The range of Orange County free clinic services it offers includes:
- Primary medical care
- Pediatric care
- Chronic illness management
- Health screenings
- Women’s health care
- Cancer screening
- Nutrition counseling
- Health promotion and education
- Optometry services
- Diabetes treatment
In addition to medical care services, the Hurtt Family Health Clinic also offers the following services:
- Dental services
- Mobile clinic for sick day treatments, health screenings, acute care, clinical evaluations and others
- Laboratory services
- Pharmacy services
As a no health insurance clinic, our low cost laboratory and pharmacy services are vital to the community. They help patients get the medications they need at low or zero costs through various programs, including:
- Prescription drug assistance through the clinic’s free discount drug card which allows up to 75% savings on prescription drugs
- Free medications through various grants and community partnerships
- Assistance in completing applications for Prescription Assistance Programs
Over the years, the OCRM has helped thousands of the homeless in Orange County find new hope, rebuild their lives, and give their families a brighter future. The Hurtt Family Health Clinic has been one of its pillars in achieving its mission.
If you wish to donate to the OCRM or learn about how you may help the homeless of Orange County, visit the ORCM website. You may also call (714) 247-4300 or send an email to info@rescuemission.org.