SVdP opens second medical clinic for uninsured
By Marisol Saldivar and Andrea Ariza
A community collective of goodness, cheer and hope packed the small corner lot of Main St. and Roosevelt Rd. in Mesa, where St. Vincent de Paul's East Valley Medical Clinic stands. Supporters gathered Oct. 7 in the early morning rays of sun to witness SVdP and its key community partners cut the ribbon on the nonprofit's newest charity clinic set to provide life-saving care within its walls.
Focused on free and reduced cost care, the East Valley Medical Clinic is inspired by SVdP’s main campus clinic just south of downtown Phoenix, which serves a critical gap in the health care system — caring for people who often have income but simply can’t afford health insurance.
“Our new East Valley Medical Clinic means more availability, greater access to care, and more lives returned to health for a patient population that often has to put family bills, groceries, gas, childcare and more before caring for themselves,” said Shannon Clancy, SVdP’s Rob and Melani Walton Endowed CEO.
It’s a patient population that’s unfortunately growing. The October opening of SVdP’s second clinic couldn’t be more critical as thousands of Arizonans have been priced out of steeper health insurance premiums.
Arizona’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace enrollment recently declined by nearly 30% since March 2025, representing more than 100,000 fewer marketplace enrollees and the third-largest annual decline in the country. And according to the U.S. Health Services & Resources Administration, approximately 759,000 Arizonans — 10.8% of the state's population — lack health insurance, a rate that exceeds the national average.
Looking ahead, SVdP anticipates that number to grow in 2027 with the implementation of cuts to Medicaid and Medicare.
Moving to meet the growing need, SVdP transformed a previous thrift store property into the East Valley Medical Clinic thanks to a $5.5 million gift from a generous anonymous donor.
The 10,100-square-foot clinic offers comprehensive primary care and provides access to more than 30 medical specialties. It boasts 18 exam rooms, a small laboratory, medication dispensary and two procedure rooms. Willmeng served as the general contractor, and Vehr/Webb Studio Architects & Artists served as the architectural firm.
“Projects like this are a powerful reminder that what we build matters far beyond the walls of a facility,” said Willmeng Senior Vice President Chris Brown. “This medical center will serve people at some of the most vulnerable moments in their lives, and our team is incredibly proud to have played a role in bringing it to life. St. Vincent de Paul’s commitment to serving our community is extraordinary, and it has been a privilege to partner with them on a project that will make a meaningful difference for years to come.”
At the ceremony, Willmeng presented at $200,000 check to support SVdP's care for the first patients of the clinic.
The East Valley Medical Clinic marks the expansion of SVdP’s collaborative charity clinic model already at work on its main campus clinic downtown, bringing together volunteer medical professionals alongside leading health care partners to increase access to quality care.
SVdP’s newest clinic brings together ASU Health, Creighton University, and Mayo Clinic to provide their expertise, care and specialties within the clinic while offering a unique field experience to their students that builds compassion and helps strengthen the future health care workforce. Additional supporters include Banner Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona.
“We often say that our clinic is ‘the clinic of last-resort’— that if we say no, the alternative is no care or an ER visit beyond financial reach,” Shannon said. “With the help of our community partners, we are so grateful that we can say, ‘Yes,’ more often now and provide hardworking members of our community with the care they need to thrive.”
SVdP provided nearly 10,000 medical patient visits in 2025 through its main campus clinic. With the new, larger East Valley Medical Clinic, the nonprofit hopes to more than double its patient visits.
Media Coverage
The Arizona Republic/azcentral
Daily Independent
