Venice Family Clinic will open its doors to the community Aug. 4-8 for National Health Center Week, offering free health services, food distribution and specialized programs for homeless individuals and families preparing for the school year.
The nonprofit community health center, which serves 45,000 people annually across the Westside of Los Angeles, Inglewood and the South Bay, will host daily events at clinic locations in Inglewood, Venice, Mar Vista and Hawthorne. All services will be provided free of charge to the public, regardless of income, insurance or immigration status.
"At Venice Family Clinic, we believe health care isn't just a service — it's a human right," said Venice Family Clinic CEO Dr. Mitesh Popat. "National Health Center Week gives us a chance to open our doors wider, meet people where they are and show how compassionate care can transform lives and strengthen entire communities."
The week begins Monday, Aug. 4, with a free food market and resource fair at the clinic's Inglewood South La Brea Health Center from 9 a.m. to noon. The event will feature distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables, along with enrollment assistance for CalFresh/SNAP benefits and health insurance. Walk-in appointments for mobile mammography will also be available.
A signature event, Homeless Connect Day, is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 6, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Chuck Lorre Rose Avenue Health and Wellness Center in Venice. People experiencing homelessness can access showers, free meals, haircuts, hygiene kits and clean clothing. Medical services will include check-ups, immunizations, dental care, and testing for HIV, hepatitis and syphilis. DMV services and identification assistance will also be provided.
Thursday's Wellness Day at the Irma Colen Health Center in Culver City will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring group fitness classes, stress therapy, mental wellness activities and healthy refreshments. Staff will assist with health insurance enrollment and provide immigration and legal aid resources.
The week concludes Friday, Aug. 8, with Children's Health Day at the Maxine Waters Health and Dignity Center in Hawthorne from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Students and families can participate in back-to-school shopping with free school supplies and books, receive immunizations and vision services, and enjoy face painting, balloon animals and arts and crafts.
National Health Center Week serves as an annual reminder of the vital role health centers play in improving public health and advancing health equity nationwide. Community health centers like Venice Family Clinic provide essential care to underserved populations, often serving as the primary source of medical care for low-income families and individuals without insurance.
Venice Family Clinic operates a network of locations and Early Head Start centers spanning from the Santa Monica Mountains through the South Bay. In addition to its brick-and-mortar facilities in Venice, Santa Monica, Mar Vista, Inglewood, Culver City, Redondo Beach, Carson, Gardena and Hawthorne, the clinic maintains mobile units and an extensive street medicine program to reach people experiencing homelessness.
The clinic's comprehensive services extend beyond basic medical care to include mental health services, dental care, vision services, substance use treatment, prescription medications, domestic violence counseling, HIV services, healthy food distributions, health education, health insurance enrollment and child development services.
All National Health Center Week events are open to the public, and media are welcome to attend. For more information about specific events and services, visit venicefamilyclinic.org/nhcw25.
The Venice Family Clinic has been serving the Los Angeles area's most vulnerable populations for decades, maintaining its commitment to providing high-quality health care regardless of patients' ability to pay or their documentation status.