Swope Health receives T-Mobile Hometown Grant for Excelsior Springs School District KidsCARE clinic

New clinic to provide pediatric, dental care to Excelsior Springs students

Swope Health, the voice of community health and leading provider of quality accessible healthcare in Kansas City, today accepted a $44,000 T-Mobile Hometown Grant to create a new Swope Health KidsCARE clinic at the Excelsior Springs Early Learning Center, 500 N. Jesse James Road, Excelsior Springs, Missouri.

“This generous grant from T-Mobile accelerates our delivery of pediatric care to students in Excelsior Springs,” said Jeron Ravin, JD., President and CEO of Swope Health. “A dedicated clinic in the learning center means kids will have easy access to quality healthcare and dental care.”

Swope Health has long provided mobile pediatric healthcare and dental services through a partnership with Mid-America Regional Council’s Head Start program and the Excelsior Springs schools. The new Swope Health KidsCARE clinic will feature a total of three exam rooms, providing preventive, early intervention and treatment services covering medical, dental and behavioral healthcare. The Excelsior Springs School District has 2,900 students; 58 percent are eligible for free or reduced lunch programs.

“This is a shared commitment to support the health, well-being and academic success of children,” said Dr. Kenneth Thomas, Swope Health executive vice president for children’s services. “When children have access to healthcare, they do better in school. And when children do better in school, their potential for success in life improves.”

Dr. Mark Bullimore, director of communications for the Excelsior Springs School District, agreed.

“We are excited about the opportunity to provide access to quality care and support services such as medical, dental, and behavioral healthcare. KidsCARE will provide our students and families another option to receive the healthcare they need, within our own facilities, that they may not otherwise receive,” Bullimore said.

“At T-Mobile, we go way beyond wireless to do what’s right for communities across the country,” said Jon Freier, President, Consumer Group at T-Mobile.  “Through Hometown Grants, we’re empowering people in small towns and rural America to make a difference where they live, and the results have been incredibly inspiring. With 125 recipients and counting, it’s a privilege for the Un-carrier to continue supporting community development projects from coast to coast.”

Each quarter, T-Mobile awards Hometown Grants for up to 25 towns with a population of less than 50,000 and anyone with a vision for how to make their community even stronger than it is today can apply. Hometown Grants are part of the Un-carrier’s massive 5-year commitment announced in April 2021 to bring 5G to rural America, open hundreds of new stores and support economic development in small towns by providing $25 million in funding.

Representatives from T-Mobile will present a ceremonial check to the leaders of Swope Health, the Excelsior Springs School District Early Learning Center, MARC Head Start at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28, at the Early Learning Center, 500 N. Jesse James Road, Excelsior Springs, Missouri. The event is free and open to the public.