With a mission of “Healing Through Love,” Mission of Mercy Arizona provides free healthcare and prescription medications to the uninsured at six mobile medical clinics around the Valley. Here, Paula Carvalho, executive director, discusses Mission of Mercy Arizona’s goals for the new year and how readers can support the local nonprofit.
What is the mission of Mission of Mercy? Our mission is to restore dignity, “Healing Through Love,” by providing free healthcare.
What prompted the start of the nonprofit? Mission of Mercy was inspired by Gianna Talone-Sullivan, a woman of faith and a practicing pharmacist. She saw a significant need within the community for free healthcare services and prescription medications for uninsured individuals. Her vision led to the nonprofit’s launch in Arizona in 1997, with its first two clinics opening in Phoenix and Mesa. Today, Mission of Mercy Arizona operates at six mobile medical clinic sites across Maricopa County serving as the medical home for nearly 2,000 patients.
What is the greatest reward in being involved with the nonprofit? The greatest reward is witnessing the tangible impact we make in people’s lives. Providing free healthcare restores dignity to individuals who might otherwise go without care. Hearing patients share how our services have transformed their lives reaffirms our mission and motivates us every day. Roughly 91 percent of our patient population lives with one or more chronic health condition like type 2 diabetes or hypertension. The care, medicine, and patient education we provide improves their quality of life.
What is the biggest challenge the nonprofit faces? One of our biggest challenges is securing consistent funding to meet the growing demand for free healthcare services. With rising costs and an increasing number of uninsured individuals in our community, the need often outpaces the resources available. Grant funding is becoming more limited, so we are always looking for new revenue sources to continue serving our community.
What are your goals for the new year? In the coming year, we aim to expand our reach to serve more patients, deepen services to support our patients with complex health conditions, increase our volunteer base, and secure additional funding to enhance our programs. Our focus is on ensuring sustainable growth while maintaining the quality of care our patients deserve.
How can readers help? Readers can help by volunteering their time, whether as medical professionals or support staff, donating funds to support our clinics, or spreading the word about our mission. Every contribution, no matter how small, makes a meaningful difference in the lives of our patients. We are particularly focused on growing our monthly donor base, and it’s easy to sign up at giftmercy.org. We also encourage anyone interested to reach out and schedule a tour of one of our clinic locations, so you can see our “Healing Through Love” in action.
Does the nonprofit have any events or fundraisers on the horizon? Yes! We have an annual fall fundraising event that brings the community together to celebrate our mission and raise critical funds to support our programs. Currently, we are focused on securing Arizona Charitable Tax Credit donations, which can be made at giftmercy.org. For every $100 donated, we can provide a new patient medical visit, including labs and medication. We’re incredibly grateful for the community’s support in helping us provide care and healing to those in need.