Mayor Teri Johnston and the Key West City Commission, during Tuesday’s regular meeting, honored the 20th anniversary of Womankind by proclaiming March 15th as Womankind 20th Anniversary Day.
Founded in 2001, Womankind has provided affordable health care to more than 21,000 local women, men and teens. In 2020 alone, Womankind provided care to 2,250 patients during 5,365 visits. They welcomed over 600 new patients and assisted patients with nearly $250,000 worth of expenses.
“We believe that the dignity of good health care should be accessible to everyone,” said Womankind Executive Director Cali Roberts. “Our founders found that wasn’t happening in our town, especially for women of color and teenagers. And they set out to rectify that. In doing so, they swept up a whole community of women.”
Roberts noted that this type of care could not happen without the support of the community.
“We were recently awarded a grant from the City for primary care to anybody in Key West affected by the pandemic,” she said, “which is, basically, everybody.”
The money, which was distributed in January to United Way of Collier and the Keys to administer was close to $210,000 overall, was a reimbursement by Monroe County for a portion of the losses experienced due to the Covid-19 pandemic. United Way has shared the funds to a variety of non-profits who provide services to provide food, shelter and medical care to those in need.
In the photo: Commissioners Gregory Davila, Jimmy Weekley, Sam Kaufman, Clayton Lopez, Billy Wardlow and Mayor Teri Johnston were joined at the podium by Womankind staff and board members. Mayor Johnston presented a proclamation for the 20-year anniversary to Womankind Executive Director Cali Roberts. Commissioner Mary Lou Hoover was in attendance virtually.
