Congressman Don Davis Visits Kinston Community Health Center to Highlight Funding Needs

October 17, 2025

KINSTON, N.C. – Congressman Don Davis (NC-01) visited the Kinston Community Health Center on Friday, October 17 to see firsthand how the facility provides essential care to families across eastern North Carolina.

During his visit, Davis toured the center, which offers medical, dental, and behavioral health services, and met with staff to discuss the challenges posed by the ongoing government shutdown. He emphasized the importance of the Community Health Center Fund (CHCF), which expired October 1 and supplies nearly 70 percent of federal support for community health centers nationwide.

[Congressman DonDavis discusses community health center funding needs with Kinston Community Health Center staff.]

“The dedicated healthcare providers at Kinston Community Health Center care for people who are unwell and may have limited resources, showing real compassion,” Congressman Davissaid. “These vital services rely greatly on federal funding that Congress must extend.”

Founded in the early 1990s, the Kinston Community Health Center has grown from a small clinic with five employees into a full-service facility that also operates a mobile medical unit, providing care and vaccinations throughout Lenoir County.

Community health centers serve patients regardless of their ability to pay, with nearly 90 percent living below 200 percent of the federal poverty line. In North Carolina’s First Congressional District, 10 health center organizations operate 93 sites, employing thousands and contributing millions to the local economy.

Davis noted that extending the CHCF is critical not only for patient care but also for maintaining jobs and sustaining the economic impact of these centers in rural communities.

[Congressman Don Davis with the Kinston Health Community Center staff.]

In his letter to congressional leaders, Congressman Davis called for fully extending the Community Health Center (CHC) Fund to prevent service disruptions, staff cuts, and site closures. He emphasized that community health centers are a lifeline for rural and economically distressed areas, serving nearly 800,000 North Carolinians and employing more than 6,500 people statewide. On August 8, 2025, Congressman Don Davis introduced H.Res.641, a resolution honoring the contributions of CHCs to rural America and the American healthcare system during National Health Center Week.

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