How Share Ourselves Started
When Share Ourselves started, some of the most vulnerable people it served were migrant farm workers in Orange County. Founders Jean and Frank Forbath compiled detailed reports on the working, living, and health conditions of the workers, emphasizing the “grossly inadequate health services available to the poor.”
The challenges agricultural workers faced included ill-equipped living barracks, poor nutrition, low wages, language barriers, transportation challenges, and lack of accessible healthcare. In response, Share Ourselves volunteers and supporters banded together to act as advocates and provide care for those in need.
We participated with the OC Human Relations Commissions in a Grand Jury investigation which resulted in the closure of some of the camps and the County taking over from the State in the inspection of the camps. Our volunteers drove the men to religious services, to the clinic or hospital when needed, taught them survival English, showed them how to use the bus, go to the beach, complete forms.
Jean Forbath (presented at the Share Ourselves 25th Anniversary)
Over time, Share Ourselves has evolved into a Community Health Center, offering a full range of services from medical, dental, and behavioral health care as well as food, medicine, and financial assistance. We are committed to serving all individuals, regardless of their ability to pay. While the people we serve today come from diverse backgrounds, many continue to face the same challenges – such as economic hardship and limited access to care – that our earliest patients experienced years ago.
Rooted in Equality
The first Community Health Center opened in 1965. With roots in both the Civil Rights Movement and the War on Poverty, the goal was to bring essential health services to underserved populations in urban and rural communities. Today, there are over 1,400 Community Health Centers providing accessible and affordable healthcare to over 31.5 million people.
Why health centers still matter today
- Health centers serve overlooked communities
- Health centers innovate and problem-solve, addressing the social risk factors of health
- Health centers promote health for all its patients
- Health centers focus on partnerships and building synergy in the community
- Health centers offer enabling services such as translation, food assistance, and access to other social services