ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — St. Pete Free Clinic has received a $5 million commitment from philanthropists Trevor Burgess and Gary Hess to support its five-year, $100 million expansion plan across Pinellas County.
The organization provides food, health insurance and other services to people in need. Its expansion plan includes a new flagship location in South St. Pete.
“This location will really give us more space to expand and meet more of our neighbors’ needs,” St. Pete Free Clinic CEO Jennifer Yeagley said.
The clinic announced in 2025 that it aims to raise $100 million to expand food security and health care access. Yeagley said the organization has already raised more than $30 million.
“By Dec. 31, 2030, we’re hoping to have that $100 million raised, all of our facilities up and running, and most importantly, to have reached those goals of making sure that every neighbor in Pinellas County that needs food support knows where to find us and has connected us, and every one of our uninsured neighbors in St. Pete who needs health care access also knows that we can be their health care home,” Yeagley said.
The organization says 260,000 people in Pinellas County are food insecure, representing 27% of the county’s population.
Director of Food Access V. Kelley said the clinic works with staff, volunteers and community partners to distribute food throughout the county.
“We’re doing 30,000 average a month. If you connect that with 115 community partners, that bumps us up to 148,000 visitations during each month,” Kelley said.
Kelley said 85% of the food the clinic distributes is fresh. The organization also provides canned goods, bakery items, frozen meats and other food.
Yeagley said the clinic hopes its new facility will open by next summer.