About Us

Our Story...In the spring of 1977, Whittaker Memorial Hospital (Whittaker) in Newport News, Virginia, initiated and organized a community effort to expand primary health care services in the “East End” community of Newport News by establishing a community health center funded by the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare (DHEW), under section 330, Title III, of the Public Health Service Act.

Although Whittaker had initially intended to prepare and submit the application for federal funding, it was determined to be more expedient to organize a group of citizens, organizationally independent of the hospital, to achieve this objective.  As a result, a 13-member, consumer-dominated board of directors was organized and incorporated as the East End Health Services Delivery Project (EEHSDP).

In November 1977, the EEHSDP made application to DHEW for $316,407 to establish a community health center for the period May 1978 to May 1979.  The application received favorable responses from local health officials and providers, as well as, local and state government agencies.

In May 1978 DHEW awarded grant funds in the amount of $194,611.  After much planning and hard work over a six-month period, the project changed its name to the Peninsula Institute for Community Health (PICH) and opened its original facility at 4714 Marshall Avenue on November 20, 1978.