Two large gifts totaling $12 million have pushed the effort to build and open Reno’s Jerry Smith Community Wellness Center over the top. Operated by Northern Nevada HOPES, the center will bring adult primary care, mental health care, substance abuse care and case management to thousands who need it.

The $36 million capital campaign to build the center from scratch included an unsolicited $6 million gift from national donor MacKenzie Scott and a $5.9 gift from the William N. Pennington Foundation. Funding from other philanthropists, the community and the federal American Rescue Plan Act also contribute to the center’s opening, planned for May 6.

At about 43,000 square feet, the Smith wellness center is on East Fourth Street near the Nevada Cares Campus, a Washoe County facility that provides services to the homeless.

Trudy Larson, vice president of the Northern Nevada HOPES board of directors, called the area a “medical health desert,” which means that health and wellness resources haven’t traditionally been available, especially for a vulnerable population.“It’s a well-known area for folks who may be having problems in their lives, complicated lives, unhoused, a lot of social issues that we see in people who may live in that area or wander through that area,” Larson said. “This is access right where they live, and same-day appointments make it possible for them to walk right in and receive care when they really need it.”

Larson also noted that the Smith center is ready to sign up patients for Medicaid services.

“Through our social services and team approach, we can make sure that we sign up people and really allow access to funds that support their health,” she said.

The Smith center also greatly expands HOPES’ services for mental health care, said Sharon Chamberlain, CEO of the organization. This includes an outpatient program now expanded to three-to-five times a week for patients who need behavioral health care and social skill services.“In addition to that, we have private individual therapists for people, as well as substance abuse treatment programs, which we know is really key and really lacking in our community,” Chamberlain said. “To be able to serve these people in a very holistic manner, in addition to our primary care programs, is really what this clinic is all about.”

Between 12,000 and 14,000 people are expected to receive care at the Jerry Smith wellness center every year. Chamberlain said that it will be ideal for people who have instead been using local ERs or urgent cares outside of that area.

“This allows them to have a medical home right there in their backyard,” Chamberlain said. “I think it is going to make a significant impact.”

Northern Nevada HOPES will still be operating its clinic on Fifth Street, which currently has waiting lists and also has dedicated pediatric care. It will close its temporary Bell Street clinic, although its services have been moved to the new, larger wellness center.

The Fourth Street facility is named for the late Jerry Smith, a Reno philanthropist who died in March 2023 and was an avid supporter of HOPES’ work.

“Jerry was an incredible friend,” Chamberlain said. “He was a strong believer in having agencies and people connect in order to support the populations we serve, to work much less siloed. I’ve never met anyone like him, and we miss him dearly, so we wanted to be able to continue his legacy.”

Up next for Northern Nevada HOPES is an $800,000 fundraising campaign for the first year of operations and services at the Smith wellness center. 

“We also want to put the word out that we are hiring,” Chamberlain added. “We’ve got a lot of jobs in the community that are available, everything from front desk folks to security to medical assistants and other providers.

“If there are people that are compassionate and interested in our mission, and want to treat people with kindness and dignity, we’d love to talk to them.”

More information on Northern Nevada HOPES can be found at their website.