TOMAGWA Healthcare Ministries celebrated the soft reopening of its Magnolia clinic Aug. 9, marking a rebirth of the nonprofit health care provider's reach into Magnolia, local leaders said. The clinic, located at 18230 FM 1488, Ste. 21, Magnolia, closed temporarily this spring due to financial hardship, Community Impact Newspaper previously reported. U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands, joined representatives from TOMAGWA and the Greater Magnolia Parkway Chamber of Commerce for the Aug. 9 ribbon cutting and reopening event. "Your absence was missed [in Magnolia], and so coming back stronger is even more exciting and thrilling for the community," Brady said. "This is the start of another new era in TOMAGWA. It is a fresh start and an exciting one." TOMAGWA CEO Timika Simmons said the Magnolia clinic will now offer a greater range of health care services, including dental screenings and additional pharmacy services. TOMAGWA provides health care services to uninsured, low-income families and individuals in northwest Harris, Montgomery and Waller counties with its three clinics located in Tomball, Magnolia and Waller. "For the Magnolia clinic, the vision has always been to offer a full line of services. Just like the Tomball clinic started in a church, Magnolia started in a church. The Tomball clinic ended up in a space about this size but in a medical complex. Now, Magnolia's there," she said. "So the vision is to expand to meet the needs of the community. We have about 100,000 people right here in this community who do not have any health insurance." The Magnolia clinic is open part time with staff shared between the Tomball and Magnolia locations to minimize cost, Simmons said. "Our staff is working with about 25% less people, and they're already seeing double the volume of patients than they were," she said. With 22,500 patient visits in 2018 between its three locations, TOMAGWA is celebrating 30 years of service, Simmons said. "If we're not here—and I hate to say this this way, but you have to understand—people will die. We are a charity, but we are a health care organization first. We come to work every day, and we see people." TOMAGWA Healthcare Ministries 281-367-0747 www.tomagwa.org