Over a dozen area organizations distribute food, clothing and other necessities to Frisco residents. But many struggling residents cannot get access to primary health care because of the financial burden. Frisco resident Sadaf Haq founded the Be In Health Foundation in March to address this gap specifically for children in Frisco ISD.

“Basic health care is crucial in ensuring that a child can learn and succeed,” Haq said.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, one in 10 Americans does not have health insurance. While it might seem like a small number of people, Haq said the demand for no-cost and reduced-cost health care in Frisco is more significant than people realize.

“We have some organizations in Dallas that help out, but nothing in the Frisco area, and I think a lot of it is because people don’t want to accept that we have those inadequacies or gaps exist,” Haq said.

The Be In Health Foundation focuses its efforts on providing health care for children in the community. Haq graduated with a master’s degree in public health from The State University of New York at Albany and has worked on public health initiatives with the New York State Department of Health and Humana Inc. Haq used her public health knowledge alongside her board of directors, which features several active and retired city officials, to launch the pilot program.

The program focuses on select Frisco ISD schools. The foundation partners with counseling services at the schools to identify students with health care needs. The Be In Health Foundation uses a network of health professionals to pair the student with the doctor. While Haq considers the pilot program to be successful so far, she noted that the program slowed down as the school year concluded. Haq said she hopes the foundation can expand into helping families but wants to make sure the foundation does not overstretch itself.

To provide health services, medical professionals become partners of the organization. Haq said she finds “the professionals that have a heart for charity” and partners with them to offer their services free or at a discounted rate. If there is a financial burden, the Be In Health Foundation works to take care of that. The foundation works with a local pharmacy to get prescriptions at cost.

“There’s just so much that people don’t realize,” Haq said. “I think at the heart of it, for me, I just want to help ... those that are underrepresented.”