SAN ANTONIO – A local philanthropist is helping fund a new medical clinic on the Southside that will provide Southside Independent School District's 6,000 students with free medical, mental and dental health services.
The groundbreaking ceremony was held Monday morning at 1460 Martinez Losoya Road, where the clinic will be built.
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The clinic was made possible through a $1 million donation from philanthropist Kym Rapier, who pledged the funds last May. The clinic, which will be named in honor of Rapier, will help serve students, many of whom come from families at or below federal poverty guidelines.
According to a news release, approximately 85 percent of students are at or under federal poverty guidelines.
"There is a direct correlation between attendance and academic achievement," said Southside ISD Superintendent Mark E. Eads. "When children are at school, they gain more knowledge because they’re in class to learn.”
While the focus of the clinic will be to serve students, medical professionals will also see the district’s teachers, staffers and members of the community.