History of Virginia Garcia
In 1975, beautiful six year old Virginia Garcia and her farmworker parents travelled from their home in Mission, Texas to California and Oregon to work in the fields. Along the way Virginia cut her foot, and by the time they reached Oregon, it had become infected. Due to economic, language and cultural barriers to healthcare, Virginia died from what should have been an easily treatable wound on Father’s Day as her own father was working in the fields, unaware of the tragic turn of events.
(Pictured above, Virginia Garcia.)
Moved to action by Virginia’s unnecessary death, the community quickly rallied together to open the first Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center (Virginia Garcia) in a three-car garage, determined to prevent similar tragedies from occurring.
Today, Virginia Garcia provides over 110,000 office visits to more than 30,000 patients a year in Washington and Yamhill Counties at our four primary care clinics, three dental offices, and two school-based health centers. We also provide outreach to schools, community health fairs and to migrant and seasonal farmworkers at local camps through our mobile clinic.
Center Mission Statement
To provide high-quality, comprehensive, and culturally appropriate primary health care to the communities of Washington and Yamhill Counties with a special emphasis on migrant and seasonal farmworkers and others with barriers to receiving healthcare.
Provider Profile
There doesn’t seem to be a “typical” day for behavioral health provider Dr. Landon Poppleton. On any given day, Dr. Poppleton could see a child for bedwetting problems, a middle aged patient with chronic joint pain or a patient with such severe psycho-social problems that he is a threat to the doctors trying to treat him. Where to begin?
Patient Profile
About a year ago, Skipper Tate was “at his wits end.” A former mail carrier, Tate had lost his job, his home and was in the process of getting divorced. He moved from California to Oregon with a number of health problems and no insurance. To make matters worse, he developed a severe tooth ache. Fortunately for Tate, his mother is a patient at VG Cornelius where providers directed him to the Virginia Garcia Dental Program in Hillsboro.
Inspiring Hope: Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center Video
