Exeter, NH – One year after launching a groundbreaking partnership to expand access to care, Lamprey Health Care and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) Exeter are celebrating a successful first year of bringing health care directly to community members through Lamprey’s Mobile Health Unit.
Since May 2025, the Mobile Health Unit has provided weekly health care services every Friday morning at SVdP Exeter’s Cleo Castonguay Community Assistance Center at 53 Lincoln Street. Designed to meet patients where they are, the partnership helps eliminate barriers to care by providing services in a trusted community setting and ensuring access regardless of a person’s ability to pay.
Over the past year, the Mobile Health Unit has served 111 individuals, supporting and connecting patients to primary care, chronic disease management, behavioral health support, substance use services, and additional resources available through Lamprey Health Care’s network across the region.
Community members, supporters, staff, and volunteers recently gathered to celebrate the program’s one-year anniversary and reflect on the impact the partnership has made.
“It’s been a wonderful year celebrating our growing partnership with those at St. Vincent de Paul,” said Sue Durkin, Co-CEO of Lamprey Health Care. “Getting to immerse ourselves here in the Exeter community has been wonderful. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Healthcare should be reliable, and that’s important to us, our patients, and the community.”
Durkin noted that the Mobile Health Unit has strengthened Lamprey’s ability to reach individuals who may not otherwise seek care.
“It really helps us have a presence in the community outside of our health center itself,” she said. “We’re focused on reaching people who can’t make it through our doors and providing access to individuals who may not have access to healthcare otherwise.”
The partnership reflects a shared commitment to addressing the social and health-related needs of local community members through coordinated, community-based services.
“One of the things we are is not just a food pantry—we’re a community resource center,” said John Knorr, Executive Director of SVdP Exeter. “Having an organization like Lamprey come here and commit to serving our neighbors is a great thing. As we move forward, we’re looking for more organizations that want to partner with us to help our neighbors.”
The close collaboration between staff members from both organizations has helped ensure that individuals and families visiting the Community Assistance Center are connected with health care services when needed.
“We’ve worked very closely with the staff to promote our mobile health services,” Durkin said. “It’s been a great relationship. Just today, staff shared that they would be introducing a new family to our van team. That’s exactly the kind of connection we’re hoping to build.”
Looking ahead, both organizations see opportunities to deepen their impact and expand access to care throughout the region, addressing more social determinants of health.
“I just want it to continue to grow,” Durkin added. “We’re eager for all that can be done in healthcare, especially around whole-person care. We share the same motivation as the staff and volunteers here—we want to serve a larger portion of our neighboring communities.”
Lamprey Health Care’s Mobile Health Unit will continue providing services for adults and children every Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Exeter Community Assistance Center.
For more information about the partnership and to view highlights from the one-year celebration, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fxy8tjcxwI
