The Rush to the Finish: A Wellness Center Update
There is a different kind of energy on campus right now.
After months of planning, construction, and coordination, the Clearwater Free Clinic is entering the final stretch of the Ruth and J O Stone Wellness Center. It is a fast-moving phase with finish work, furniture installation, and the logistics of bringing a new building to life all happening at once.
It is busy. It is complex. And it is exactly where we hoped to be.
A Community Effort Taking Shape
What has stood out most in these final months has not just been the progress. It has been the people.
As word of the Wellness Center has spread, the response from the community has been overwhelming. In just the past month, more than 20 new volunteers have stepped forward, joining longtime supporters who are finding new ways to engage. Some are helping with the physical move, while others are stepping in to help shape new programs and service lines.
That kind of engagement does not just support the project. It strengthens it.
Where We Are Now
Construction is nearing completion, with the team working toward final punch in the coming weeks. From there, the focus shifts quickly to move-in and operations.
The timeline ahead is clear:
The BayCare Food Clinic will be the first program to move into the space, beginning in May
Expanded services, including Behavioral Health and Physical and Occupational Therapy, will follow
The Wellness Center will begin serving patients and the community in May
A formal Ribbon Cutting Celebration will be held on October 8 in the evening
Each step brings us closer to a fully operational space designed to expand access and improve outcomes for the patients we serve.
Expanding Access and What Comes After
At its core, the Wellness Center is about access.
More programs. More capacity. More opportunities for patients in Pinellas County to receive the care they need.
But this expansion is also about what happens after care begins.
Healthcare is not short term. Managing a chronic condition, improving mental health, or recovering from an injury does not happen in a single visit. It requires consistency, education, and support over time.
That is where this next phase of our work begins.
The Wellness Center allows us to move beyond treating illness and further into sustaining health. It is an extension of our “Keep Them Well” philosophy and our commitment to building healthy communities .
Programs Built for Impact
Several programs will see immediate expansion.
Behavioral Health, one of the most critical needs in our community, will more than double in size, allowing us to serve more patients and provide more consistent support.
Our partnership with NOVA Southeastern University will also grow, expanding access to Physical and Occupational Therapy. These services are essential not only for recovery, but for helping patients remain active, independent, and in the workforce.
These are not new ideas. They are proven programs. The Wellness Center simply gives them the space to reach their full potential.
A Different Kind of Outcome
One patient’s story illustrates exactly why this expansion matters.
After coming to the Clinic, he was able to bring his chronic conditions under control. He enrolled in our Healthy Living program, began losing weight, and started feeling better than he had in years. But without guidance, he pushed too far at the gym and injured his back, resulting in a trip to the emergency department.
That gap between getting healthy and staying healthy is what the Wellness Center is designed to address.
With dedicated space and programming, we can now provide patients with the tools and instruction to safely build on their progress. But the most important part of his story goes beyond the individual. As his health improved, his wife began making healthier choices. Their family, parents and children alike, started walking together and building new habits.
That is the outcome we are working toward. Not just healthier patients, but healthier families.
A Vision Years in the Making
This moment has been a long time coming.
The Wellness Center was part of a vision championed by former CEO Jeannie Shapiro, who led the Clearwater Free Clinic for 26 years. Her commitment to expanding beyond episodic care and into long-term wellness shaped the direction of this project well before construction ever began.
Today, that vision is becoming reality.
Under the leadership of CEO Anthony Degina, the Clinic is not only bringing that vision to life, but building on it. The Wellness Center represents a significant step forward, with even more opportunities for growth and impact on the horizon.
Looking Ahead
This project has always been powered by the community, and that support continues to grow.
Through the Wellness Center campaign, we have raised more than twice our annual operating budget. It is a reflection of the belief our donors and partners have in what this project represents.
As we move through these final weeks of construction and into operations, the focus is on execution, ensuring that every program, every partnership, and every space is ready to deliver on its promise.
Because this project has always been about more than a building.
It is about expanding what is possible for the patients we serve and taking the next step toward changing the course of health in our community.