Seattle Center Foundation Ends Free Medical Clinic After 12 Years
The pop-up clinic, which treated roughly 3,000 patients a year, will hold its final event in May 2027 due to staffing changes and rising costs.
By Marco Ortega ·
The Seattle Center Foundation will stop operating the free Seattle/King County Clinic. The nonprofit announced that the program will cease providing services to the community after nearly 12 years of operation.
The clinic began in 2014. At the time, the Foundation described it as a short-term project rather than a permanent solution. For the past decade, the organization has held these pop-up events a few times each year. The program served approximately 3,000 community members annually.
The final clinic will take place from April 29 through May 2, 2027. It will be located at Seattle Center. The Foundation stated that the decision to stop the clinic was difficult. The group cited staffing changes and rising costs as key factors. Funding for the program has also decreased.
In a statement, the Foundation explained that essential services and equipment required for the clinic's operation will no longer be available. The organization said it made a foundational commitment to patients, volunteers, and partners to never compromise on service quality. The Foundation noted that the resources needed to maintain that standard are changing.
“We recognize that we won’t be able to honor that commitment beyond the 2027 clinic,” the statement read. The Foundation said the complexities of producing a project of this scale continue to shift.
During the spring 2027 clinic, staff will focus on connecting patients to other community resources. After that event, the Foundation will hand over clinic assets and relationships to permanent healthcare entities. The nonprofit said it intends to keep working with community partners to use its campus and expertise.
Several other free and low-cost clinics remain open in the region. These include Lahai Health in King and Snohomish Counties, the MAPS-MCRC Community Health Clinic in Redmond, and CarePoint Clinic in Fall City. Residents can also find the Rota Care Free Medical Clinic in Bellevue and Pierce County Project Access. The Washington Healthcare Access Alliance maintains a list of additional providers.
