At Project Access Northwest, our mission transcends politics; it is about serving our community’s most vulnerable and connecting them to the care and resources they need. Every day, your support brings relief from pain and suffering, provides patients life-changing care, and builds stronger, healthier families. Continue reading
News & Events
Our seventh annual Strike Down Barriers to Health Care event was a smash success! Thanks to our sponsors and donors, we raised more than $140,000 to help ensure every person has access to appropriate health care. Continue reading
Project Access Northwest has teamed up with DentistLink—a private-public partnership funded by Arcora Foundation and Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA). This new partnership helps low-income Washington state residents access critical oral health and whole-person care. Continue reading
Our seventh annual Strike Down Barriers to Health Care event will be held Tuesday, October 15, 2024, at Lucky Strike Bellevue in Lincoln Square. Join us from 6:00–8:30 p.m. to relax with health care leaders in our community, enjoy appetizers and drinks, and learn how you can help ensure every person has access to appropriate health care. Continue reading
Our donors do make a difference! Just ask Francis, a longtime client who was so moved by the compassion and dedication shown by her care team that she shared with us a heartfelt letter of thanks. Continue reading
In partnership with HealthierHere, Project Access Northwest will participate in the state's effort to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes for uninsured individuals. Together, we're improving health care delivery and outcomes. Continue reading
We welcome aboard our two new care coordinators: Avery Selisch and Sarah Shrader Continue reading
Project Access Northwest's new Pro Bono Counseling recently launched the "Ask A Therapist" blog! This innovative online resource aims to provide valuable mental health insights and advice directly from our expert volunteer therapists. Continue reading
We are thrilled to announce the continuation of our partnership with the Roots & Wings Foundation, which supports initiatives that foster community well-being and empowerment, aligning perfectly with our mission at Project Access Northwest. This renewed partnership includes an annual unrestricted funding commitment increase through 2027. Continue reading
Long-time executive director Gary Renville has been named President and Chief Executive Officer of our growing nonprofit organization. Continue reading
This year's four-day clinic served more than 2,900 individuals, taking significant strides in addressing health care disparities. Continue reading
Key partners offer grants in support of Project Access Northwest's Pro Bono Counseling program Continue reading
Four nursing students from Seattle University have joined us to work on a project focused on Z codes: what they are, how they are used in the health care system, and how they might impact an individual’s health care journey. Continue reading
The transition to the new year comes with changes to our board. We welcome four new members and bid farewell and thank you to those members who have completed their terms. Continue reading
Our sixth annual Strike Down Barriers to Health Care event, held at Lucky Strike in Bellevue on October 24, 2023, raised more than $130,0000 to help ensure every person has access to appropriate health care. Continue reading
City University’s Counseling Center is partnering with our Pro Bono Counseling program to facilitate counseling sessions for our clients, all at no cost to them. Continue reading
We are pleased to welcome new executive assistant and voracious reader Pat Whitney to our staff. Pat comes to us through Companis, which matches skilled professionals with volunteer and stipend-supported service opportunities throughout King and Snohomish counties. Continue reading
The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust of Vancouver, Wash., recently awarded Project Access Northwest a $334,000 grant to support our efforts to provide behavioral health care services to the region’s vulnerable and uninsured patients. Continue reading
Our sixth annual Strike Down Barriers to Health Care event will be held Tuesday, October 24, 2023, at Lucky Strike Bellevue in Lincoln Square. Join us from 6:00–8:30 pm to relax with health care leaders in our community, enjoy appetizers and drinks, and learn how you can help ensure every person has access to appropriate health care. Continue reading
Project Access Northwest has begun to recruit volunteer licensed therapists and graduate student interns to help provide this essential mental health care through its new Pro Bono Counseling program. Continue reading
Project Access Northwest participated in this year’s Seattle/King County Clinic — the first full clinic since the pandemic — which served more than 3,000 patients over four days! Continue reading
Project Access Northwest welcomes new staff member Cameron Kirkland and announces promotions of key staff members. Continue reading
Thank you and best wishes to long-time volunteer provider and co-founder of the West Sound Free Clinic, Dr. Patrick Tracy, who recently retired. Continue reading
VIDEO: Executive Director Gary Renville shares highlights of 2022 and a sneak preview of what's ahead in 2023. Continue reading
The transition to the new year comes with changes to our board. We welcome new members, elect new officers and also bid farewell and thank you to those members who have completed their terms. Continue reading
JPMorgan Chase is invested in making an impact in the Pacific Northwest and remains committed to supporting underserved communities, helping them reach their financial goals. In October 2020, we made a $30 billion commitment to advance racial equity that took a look at additional ways to address affordable housing, small business and financial health, among other critical financial needs within unbanked and underbanked communities nationwide. Continue reading
Dr. Mark C. Valentine, who has cared for more than 100 Project Access Northwest patients in Snohomish County since joining our volunteer network in 2010, has recently retired. We thank him for his support these many years and wish him the best in this new chapter. Continue reading
We welcome back Yasmin Chavarin to our Care Coordination team! Continue reading
Our most recent "Coffee Talk" virtual staff hangout focused on the theme "Love Songs." We compiled a Valentine's Day-related playlist on YouTube, featuring some of the staff’s favorite love songs. Enjoy! Continue reading
Our fifth annual Strike Down Barriers to Health Care event, held in person at Lucky Strike in Bellevue on October 11, 2022, raised more than $130,0000 to help ensure every person has access to appropriate health care. Continue reading
Our fifth annual Strike Down Barriers to Health Care event will be held Tuesday, October 11, 2022, at Lucky Strike Bellevue in Lincoln Square. Join us from 6:00–8:30 pm to relax with health care leaders in our community, enjoy appetizers and drinks, and learn how you can help ensure every person has access to appropriate health care. Continue reading
To address health inequalities in a meaningful way, PacMed created a Health Equity Council to reduce barriers to care and seek opportunities to enhance health equity for patients as well as caregivers. Continue reading
Kaiser Permanente announced a major, three-year grant that will fund specialty care coordination for hundreds of patients in Washington. Kaiser Permanente has provided more than $1.7 million in funding for Project Access Northwest since 2016. Continue reading
At the Leadership Circle event in July 2022, panel members explored the impact of missed cancer screenings. Continue reading
Project Access Northwest welcomed new care coordinators to its staff this spring Continue reading
Governor Jay Inslee has recently approved the state supplemental budget, which contains $500,000 in funding for Project Access Northwest to develop a pilot behavioral health program, helping to connect our region's most vulnerable to needed services. Continue reading
Care Coordination is at the heart of what we do at Project Access Northwest. This month we're taking a closer look at the Outpatient Procedure Clinic — a vision turned reality that is a win-win for both patients and medical students. Continue reading
Project Access Northwest bid farewell to valued board members and staff and welcomed another to a new role. Continue reading
You can make a difference! With your support, our neighbors in need can receive affordable care. This year, GiveBIG for a healthier community. Continue reading
This year, we once again turned our annual STRIKE Down Barriers to Health Care event to a livestream on YouTube, thanks to the creative efforts of our event committee, technical expertise from #SeattleLives and the unwavering support of our sponsors. There is still time to give! Continue reading
The Polyclinic has been part of the Seattle health care community for more than 100 years. Though it has grown and changed tremendously, its focus remains: improving health care and access to care in our region. Continue reading
As Project Access Northwest looks to add behavioral health to its roster of more than 50 specialties in 2021, we do it in partnership with organizations like Cambia Grove. Its 2021 TRAILS Competition is focused on innovations around behavioral health. Continue reading
At the 2021 virtual Leadership Circle event, board president Terri Rambosek introduced a modified mission statement and executive director Gary Renville gave some updates about the office relocation. Continue reading
Join us on September 14, 2021, for this YouTube Live event! Tune in from the comfort of home to support Project Access Northwest and help ensure that every person has access to appropriate health care. Continue reading
You can make a difference! With your support, our neighbors in need can receive affordable care. This year, GiveBIG for a healthier community. Continue reading
Project Access Northwest is governed by a volunteer board of directors, which meets six times a year. Members serve three-year terms. We recently welcomed five new members and bade farewell and thank you to four members whose terms ended. Continue reading
In 2020, we welcomed MTI Physical Therapy to our roster of volunteer providers. Physical therapy is a critical specialty for Project Access Northwest, as nearly 10% of our patients received PT last year to build strength prior to surgery, to aid post-surgical recovery, or to avoid surgery altogether. Continue reading
Michael Welke joined our staff as our new Provider Relations Manager in early February, thanks to Companis, a Seattle-area nonprofit that matches skilled professionals with volunteer and stipend-supported service opportunities throughout King and Snohomish counties. Continue reading
The year 2020 led to a number of changes at Project Access Northwest, but one thing remained unchanged — we continued to serve our patients. Check out the highlights. Continue reading
Project Access Northwest has been selected as one of 49 recipients of HealthierHere's Connect2 Community Network Catalyst Fund. The award will enable Project Access Northwest to send and receive electronic closed-loop referrals with other partners in the Connect2 Community Network. Continue reading
This year, we took STRIKE Down Barriers to Health Care! online, thanks to the creative efforts of our event committee, technical expertise from #SeattleLives and the unwavering support of our sponsors. See our results! Continue reading
Project Access Northwest has partnered again with Seattle University College of Nursing as a clinical rotation for three Doctorate of Nursing Practice students. Continue reading
We have launched a new patient management system on the TrackVia platform, and staff members couldn’t be more excited. Continue reading
Join us on October 13 for our YouTube Live event! Tune in from the comfort of home to support Project Access Northwest and its mission to ensure that every person has access to appropriate health care. Continue reading
Executive Director Gary Renville discusses the combined challenges of systemic racism and the coronavirus, and how they affect our medically vulnerable population. Continue reading
Executive Director Gary Renville discusses the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our medically vulnerable population. Continue reading
At the 2020 Seattle-King County Clinic, more than 3,300 community members accessed free medical, dental and vision care, thanks to thousands of volunteers. Continue reading
Project Access Northwest Executive Director Gary Renville moderated a provider panel at Cambia Grove's 5 Points of Health Care™ Conference. Continue reading
Board member Kathleen Fondren shares why she serves, CellNetix relocation news, and a continued commitment to Project Access Northwest Continue reading
Erik Wilterding, Senior Manager at Grant Thornton LLP, has joined the board of directors of Project Access Northwest. Continue reading
For the second year in a row, Project Access Northwest has partnered with Seattle University as a clinical rotation for three Doctorate of Nursing Practice students. Continue reading
Project Access Northwest extends its profound appreciation and best wishes to David H Barr, MD, who has been providing critical ophthalmology services to our patients at the Swedish Community Specialty Clinic. Continue reading
Dedicated to transforming health care access in our state, Project Access Northwest helps to bridge the health care gap for low-income, underserved Washingtonians. Since 2006, this organization has served 50,000 patients, across King, Snohomish and Kitsap counties. Continue reading
Thanks for joining us on October 15 at Garage on Capitol Hill for a fun evening of bowling and socializing, all in support of Project Access Northwest and its mission to ensure that every person has access to appropriate health care. Continue reading
Executive Director Gary Renville discusses his recent experience at the Washington State of Reform Health Policy Conference and highlights recent accomplishments of Project Access Northwest programs. Continue reading
Board member Shirley Bishop introduces our new strategic framework and how it will guide our work in the coming years. Continue reading
In this guest column by CellNetix, we explore the decade-long partnership between our two organizations. Since 2009, CellNetix has provided pathology-related services to Project Access Northwest at no cost. Continue reading
Project Access Northwest welcomed new board members and new staff members in January 2019. Get to know a few of our new faces! Continue reading
We thank our 165 guests, sponsors and in-kind donors for collectively raising $93,600 to help strike down barriers to health care. Read on for highlights of the night, an inspirational video and a fun photo gallery. Continue reading
Pat Cashman—best known locally for his work on “Almost Live!”—will join us as our host for our upcoming event Strike! Down Barriers to Health Care on October 9. Continue reading
Project Access Northwest’s Health Home Program marked its one-year anniversary in April. In 2017, we partnered with Coordinated Care to provide services to its most vulnerable members. Our care coordinators meet these clients in their community and provide personalized care coordination, health promotion, support and resources. Continue reading
Executive Director Gary Renville reflects on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on the 50th anniversary of his death. Continue reading
Recent promotions of leaders in our organization Continue reading
Since our founding in 2006, Project Access Northwest has relied on thousands of volunteers to bring life-changing care to patients in need. Typically we focus on our 1700+ volunteer providers who donate care for our patients. But we have volunteers of all sorts—from students to retired professionals, both in and out of the medical field—working behind the scenes and supporting our mission. Continue reading
We invite you to join us in our mission to make high quality medical and dental care more accessible and attainable for low-income individuals. Continue reading
Project Access Northwest is governed by a volunteer board of directors. Our members bring a variety of professional skills (legal, medical, fundraising, health planning and administration) and represent various segments of the community. The board meets six times a year, and board members serve three-year terms. Continue reading
Project Access Northwest teamed up with Kaiser Permanente to help coordinate follow-up care for vision clinic patients seen at the free Seattle/King County Clinic in October 2017. During four, 12-hour days, the vision clinic treated 1,385 patients. Project Access Northwest then coordinated follow-up care for 118 patients. Continue reading
New executive director Gary Renville brings to Project Access Northwest a wide range of leadership skills and experience with nonprofits, but perhaps what qualifies him most to take the helm is his personal experience with poverty and how hard it is to navigate a health care system without insurance. Continue reading
We are deeply grateful to CellNetix for kicking off our fall fundraiser with a generous $5,000 matching grant. Donate early and your gift goes twice as far! Continue reading
On June 30, 2017, Project Access Northwest ended its King County dental referral program and helped transition that service to be managed internally by Swedish Community Specialty Clinic. Project Access Northwest continues to work with Northwest Kidney Center clients and the Snohomish dental program. With a generous grant from Arcora Foundation, it will seek new, innovative and sustainable ways to help deliver dental care to low-income patients going forward. Continue reading
Project Access Northwest is delighted to welcome D. Chris Douglas, MBA, CMPE to its board of directors. For more than two decades, Chris has served as president and CEO of Douglas Healthcare Consulting LLC, a national firm serving physician practices, hospitals and integrated delivery systems. Continue reading
Board president Chrissy Yamada announced his selection on June 1, 2017. Gary is meeting with staff and working closely with Sallie this month to enable a smooth transition. Continue reading
As Sallie Neillie prepares to retire at the end of June, she reflects on her time with Project Access Northwest and what it has meant to her. This organization sometimes felt like “the little engine that could.” I think we can, I think we can, I think we can… Continue reading
Project Access Northwest has launched its newest care coordination effort, the Health Home Program, which provides intensive, home-based, care coordination services for individuals with one or more chronic conditions. Through in-person visits at patient homes or other convenient settings, Health Home care coordinators help develop patient-centered Health Action Plans to support each individual in achieving personal goals. Continue reading
Since 2009, Valley Medical Center has hosted the Acute Specialty Access Clinic in its Emergency Department. Retired orthopedic surgeon Robert Cancro, MD and second-year resident Will Kwan, MD volunteer and treat low-income and uninsured, nonemergent orthopedic patients in Renton. Continue reading
Project Access Northwest, Swedish Orthopedic Institute, Orthopedic Physician Associates and Physicians Anesthesia Service collaborated with the national nonprofit Operation Walk USA to provide joint replacement surgery and care for four local orthopedic patients. Continue reading
Project Access Northwest welcomed several new board members in January 2017. Get to know a few of our new faces! Continue reading
With the transition to the new year, we bid farewell and thank you to retiring board members Marcia Wharton, Kerry Radcliffe and Robin Larmer, who have served on the board since 2011. Continue reading
Throughout 2016, we received more than $73,000 in individual donations, and gained the support of 73 new donors. These donations will help us care for more than 225 patients in 2017. Continue reading
Ash Consulting has stepped forward with a matching grant of $15,000 to kick off our Fall Fundraising Challenge, September 5–20, 2016. Continue reading
Providence Regional Medical Center Everett has partnered with Project Access Northwest to help its low-income, uninsured and Medicaid patients find appropriate follow-up care with primary care providers upon discharge from the hospital Continue reading
Scott Combs, chief financial officer for Pacific Medical Centers (PacMed), joined the Project Access Northwest board as treasurer in early 2016. Continue reading
Project Access Northwest welcomed several staff members in 2016. Get to know a few of our new faces! Continue reading
Aymie Agena has joined our staff as the new Premium Assistance coordinator, and Nathan Rex is our new IT support technician. Continue reading
Project Access Northwest is gearing up for a year-long celebration of its 10th anniversary in 2016. Continue reading
Verdant Health Commission has generously awarded Project Access Northwest a second, three-year, $270,000 grant to expand medical and dental services in south Snohomish County. Continue reading
With our program’s continued growth, we’ve been busy creating new positions, promoting staff and welcoming new team members. A couple of our latest hires have added a lot of energy, creativity and good humor to the office this summer. Continue reading
Seattle Business magazine honored Washington state’s health care innovators at its seventh Leaders in Health Care Awards February 26, 2015. Project Access Northwest was nominated for Achievement in Community Outreach and came away with the silver award that night. Continue reading
Since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was implemented 18 months ago, she’s noticed a significant difference in the acuity of the patients being referred. Patients are healthier and are starting to get the treatment and prescriptions they need. Continue reading
In March 2015, Project Access Northwest began partnering with Swedish Emergency Services to launch Primary Link, a program for patients who need a primary care home. Primary Link will connect Apple Health (Medicaid) and uninsured emergency department patients to a primary care provider (PCP). The program will also work with patients who were seen at the Country Doctor Community Health Centers (CDCHC) After-Hours Clinic and do not have a primary care provider. Continue reading