Stories by Nika Bartoo-Smith

Columbian staff reporter

Medical assistant Daniel Salazar cleans an examination room between patients Sept. 28 at the Free Clinic of Southwest Washington. The clinic, on Plomondon Road, offers free health care for those without insurance and advocacy for those with limited English language skills.

Free Clinic of Southwest Washington provides primary health care for Clark County’s uninsured

October 5, 2022, 6:03am Clark County Health Subscriber Exclusive

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Free Clinic of Southwest Washington ran as a walk-in urgent care, providing basic health care needs for uninsured and underinsured Clark County residents. Now, it operates on an appointment-based system, serving as more of a primary care facility where patients can come for repeat,… Read story

Washington residents may be eligible for state-funded Cascade Care Savings program

October 5, 2022, 5:11am Clark County News Free

Washington Healthplanfinder announced Tuesday that more than 40 percent of Washingtonians who receive their health insurance through Washington Healthplanfinder may be eligible for new state-funded savings when enrolling in coverage for 2023. Read story

A sign outside Bloodworks Northwest near Vancouver Mall encourages people to donate blood in October 2017.

Blood supply ‘dangerously low’ in Western Washington and Oregon

October 1, 2022, 7:01pm Clark County Health

Blood donations are down close to 50 percent at Bloodworks Northwest, one of the primary suppliers of donated blood in Western Washington and Oregon. Read story

A resident of The Outpost, Vancouver's first Safe Stay Community at 11400 N.E. 51st Circle that Outsiders Inn operates, drew some Give More 24! chalk art during Outsiders Inn's Give More 24! fundraising event.

Community Foundation says goodbye to Give More 24!

September 30, 2022, 3:58pm Clark County News

After nine years and millions of dollars raised for hundreds of Southwest Washington nonprofits, the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington will phase out its annual Give More 24! online fundraising campaign. Read story

Clark County COVID-19 rates fall for second week in a row

September 29, 2022, 2:29pm Clark County Health Free

Rates of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations slightly decreased for the second week in a row in Clark County this week, according to the latest data from Clark County Public Health. Read story

Legacy Salmon Creek home to Southwest Washington’s only human-milk distribution site

Kacia Gauthier, lactation services manager at Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center, looks over bottles of donated breast milk for infants in need. The Salmon Creek hospital began working with Northwest Mothers Milk Bank in June.

Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center joined Northwest Mothers Milk Bank in June, opening the first human-donor breast milk-distribution site in Southwest Washington and eliminating the need for overnight shipments or drives to the milk bank’s Tigard, Ore., location to pick up a prescription. Read story

Red Cross seeking blood, platelet donors

September 24, 2022, 5:31am Clark County News Free

The American Red Cross is seeking blood and platelet donations this fall. The Charles Drew Blood Drive takes place today, Sept. 24, between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. at 3131 N. Vancouver Ave. in Portland. A number of other drives are scheduled through Oct. 15. Read story

Give More 24! raises $3.6 million for Southwest Washington causes

Megan Whetsell, left, and Erek Watson, both of Vancouver, chat with Jeanne Bennett of Columbia Play Project, dressed as "Doug the Slug," as she hands out flyers during Give More24! at The Waterfront Vancouver in September.

The annual Give More 24! online giving marathon concluded Thursday, exceeding its goal of raising $3.5 million in donations. In the end, the campaign raised over $3.6 million from over 6,000 donors to support 216 nonprofits around Southwest Washington. Read story