Good Health. It's what we want for all our children. We want to hear it in their laughter and see it in their smiles.

But good health requires having access to good health care, and not all children have equal access to good medical care.

At Vista Community Clinic, we want to provide good health care to all children-not just those who can afford it. To underscore our commitment to children's health care we have made a promise to our community: Vista Community Clinic will never turn away a sick child.

We keep this promise through the Kare for Kids Fund. Vista Community Clinic established the Kare for Kids Fund in 1986 to keep our promise to provide medical care to children in need of financial help. These children generally come from "working poor" families. They earn too much money to qualify for Medi-Cal benefits, yet they cannot afford to pay for medical insurance.

The Kare for Kids Fund acts as a safety net for these children who otherwise would go without the medical care they need, or end up in a hospital emergency room.

Through the Kare for Kids Fund, Vista Community Clinic can treat children's health problems early, while treatment is less expensive and results are more positive. The Kare for Kids Fund receives contributions solely from private sources. Community businesses, service clubs, foundations, and individuals generously offer their support to the children of our community through donations to the Kare for Kids Fund, but the need for Kare for Kids services continues to grow beyond the resources.

For more information about Kare for Kids or any other Vista Community Clinic programs and services, please call Betsy Heightman at (760) 631-5000 ext 1139 or e-mail at betsy@vistacommunityclinic.org.