Plumbing 
Mayela Castañon
A groundbreaking ceremony is slated Friday, Dec. 2 at 1:00 p.m. on North Ham Lane across from Walmart and behind Applebee’s for a $20 million multi-purpose medical and community resource center.
The Centene Charitable Foundation and Superior HealthPlan have donated $7.9 million to help fund the center and are working with Community Health Development Inc. to make the project a reality.
CHDI CEO Mayela Castañon announced plans for the new facility in August. CHDI has since purchased 3.765 acres on which to build.
“Once complete, the new center will house space for primary medical care, behavioral health services, youth development resources, college/job preparation training for students, retail space for local businesses, and a tranquility garden to honor victims of the tragedy that occurred on May 24, 2022,” reads a press release for the groundbreaking ceremony.
The event will include a rendering of the new multipurpose community center and a remembrance ceremony for the 21 killed in the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School on May 24.
Castañon and Superior HealthPlan CEO and Centene Corporation regional senior vice president Mark Sanders will speak at the groundbreaking.
In August, Castañon said the center has been a passion project of hers for many years, and she hopes it can be completed in a little under two years.
CHDI served more than 11,000 patients in approximately 35,000 office visits in 2021.
Castañon hopes that this expansion of services, in addition to offering a base for legal assistance and mentoring agencies, will help expand their community coverage with medical, behavioral health and pharmacy services.
CHDI is still in the process of raising funds for the new facility, through relationships with foundations, seeking donors, and looking into any federal grants available in the next fiscal year.
Anyone wishing to make a donation may visit chdi4health.org and click the “donate” button at the top of the page, or mail a check, with a memo notation for the new facility, to: Community Health Development Inc., 200 Evans St., Uvalde TX 78801.
