About Us
We Care Manatee connects uninsured, low-income Manatee County residents to the medical care they need. Our services are available to uninsured Manatee County residents between the ages of 18 and 64, with income below 200% of the federal poverty level.
History
We Care Manatee was founded by the Manatee County Medical Society in 1999 to address the increasing need of uninsured residents to receive care and treatment from medical specialists. In 2001, We Care Manatee began coordinating care between local physicians who were willing to see uninsured patients in their offices free of charge. In 2002 we incorporated as a non-profit organization.
In the years since then, We Care Manatee physicians have provided millions of dollars in donated care to patients who would otherwise go without.
What We DO
Using a dedicated group of volunteer physicians practicing under the Volunteer Health Care Provider Program (VHCPP) We Care Manatee staff is able to screen referrals and connect clients to medical care offered free of charge. The VHCPP program allows volunteer physicians to be designated an “agent of the state” and have sovereign immunity for uncompensated care they provide to We Care Manatee clients.
When your doctor needs help managing your care, he or she can request a consultation with one of our volunteer specialists.
We Care Manatee staff reviews each referral to determine if a volunteer specialist is available to meet your need. If accepted, you will be contacted to complete eligibility paperwork in our office. Once approved you will see the specialist in their office for consultation or treatment.
Recommendations from the specialist and notes regarding any treatment provided will be sent to your doctor so that they can manage your ongoing care.
We Care Manatee can also offer our clients assistance with eligibility applications to other programs, rides to medical appointments set up by our office, and medical equipment. Some limitations apply.
At We Care Manatee our goal is to keep residents healthy, enable them to work, and reduce the burden on emergency rooms and other safety net facilities.
Together, we are making a healthy difference in our patient’s lives.
Our patients, physicians, donors, and volunteers are your neighbors, friends, local care providers, students, and retirees.
Each day, our providers, volunteers, and staff live our mission to facilitate free medical care to low-income, uninsured residents of Manatee County.
Partnerships with community hospitals and alliances with other medical facilities enable us to give patients the quality care they need, from local providers they trust. These partnerships assure that the county’s most vulnerable residents get access to the care they need.
We Care Manatee is funded though individual and corporate donations, government and private grants, and in-kind contributions. Thanks to the generous support of our medical community and people like you, we can serve those in need in Manatee County.
We Care Manatee is able to live its mission to provide comprehensive free care to those in need because of the deep commitment of our organizational partners. We have developed collaborative relationships with a number of organizations throughout the community.
Thomas Morrish, MD
Co-Chairman
Brad Laudicina, OD
Co-Chairman
The Eye Center
Erin Hentrich
Treasurer
Kerkering, Barberio & Co.
Jodi D. Allen
Secretary
Sunwest Bank
Valerie Vale
Manatee County Medical Society
Bryan Boudreaux
The Bank of Tampa
Scott Cranston
Florida Surgical Specialists
Jennifer McCullen, MD
OB/GYN Women’s Centre
Wendy McDougal
Manatee Memorial Hospital
Marianne Barnebey
City of Bradenton
Annie Breitinger
Annie Breitinger joined We Care Manatee as the Executive Director in 2021 after serving 8 years as a board member. She majored in sociology and conflict studies at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. She obtained her juris doctorate from St. Louis University School of Law. In 2012 she moved to Bradenton to work as a health care attorney at local law firm, Blalock Walters. After over 9 years as a health care attorney, she made the jump into the non-profit world to lead We Care Manatee. She lives in Bradenton with her husband and two little wild boys.
Our funding comes from grants and generous donations provided by people like you. Support our mission to facilitate free medical care to low-income uninsured residents of Manatee County, FL.
We Care Manatee, Inc. is a 501 (c) 3 not for profit organization (Tax ID 59-3606103). Donations are tax deductible. For final determination please consult with your tax preparer.