Open Door 50th Anniversary
The Need
50 years ago, on November 28th, 1972, Open Door welcomed our first patients into the free clinic in the basement of the Ossining First Baptist Church. With the opening of Open Door, we joined a national movement of Community Health Centers committed to providing locally accessible, affordable, and high quality health care who today, serve over 30 million medically underserved individuals and families across the United States. 50 years after our founding, we are grateful for all who have believed throughout our history in the power and potential of community health centers like Open Door. We are thrilled to be celebrating our 50th anniversary and embarking on 50 More!
Left photo: Seth Harrison/The Journal News
Our Anniversary Video
A Letter from Our CEO
Dear Friends:
We are thrilled to be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Open Door – a half century of providing excellent, accessible, and personalized health care!
In 1972, a group of visionary, dedicated volunteers in the Ossining community responded to the need for greater access to health care in our local community.
Open Door and community health centers around the country were created out of the civil rights movement. During a time when racial tensions ran high in Ossining, Open Door welcomed all into the basement of the First Baptist Church and has been a model of health equity.
For 50 years, we have forged through moments of transformation – expanding sites to new communities, implementing innovative programs, and facing a global health crisis head on.
Join us as we reflect on our history and embark on 50 more years of providing health care in our backyard.
Lindsay Farrell, President & CEO
Our History
For 50 years, Open Door has been serving the needs of our neighbors for coordinated, comprehensive, and affordable health care both within and – through its wraparound programs – beyond the exam room. What began in 1972 as a free clinic in the basement of the First Baptist Church in Ossining has become a nationally-recognized, multi-site, federally-qualified health center serving over 62,000 people. Regardless of the affluence that exists in Westchester and Putnam Counties, many people here live at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. They struggle with poverty, unemployment, lack of health insurance, and life-threatening health disparities. In response, Open Door emphasizes access with a sliding scale fee discount, convenient hours and locations, and a bilingual, multicultural, and culturally competent staff.
Each decade has been unique in its growth and accomplishments. Each year we’ve been able to serve more patients in more ways and in more communities.
To see how our building has changed over the years, click the orange slider and move it to the left or right.
Testimonials
We celebrate our 50th Anniversary with powerful testimonials to the impact of Open Door throughout the past half century. From our earliest patients and staff to current community members, we celebrate all whom we have served, all who have provided care to our patients, and all whose support has helped us grow these past 50 years. We are grateful to everyone who shared their stories with us.
