New Bern's MERCI Clinic fundraiser returns in November to support free care for uninsured

For uninsured residents of Craven, Pamlico and Jones counties, the ability to see a doctor, fill a prescription or receive basic care can hinge on how much support MERCI Clinic raises from its neighbors.

MERCI on Middle returns to downtown New Bern's Middle Street on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026, with tickets having been on sale since July 1. Proceeds will support MERCI Clinic's free healthcare services for uninsured residents across the three counties.

The annual fundraiser helps fill a persistent gap in North Carolina's healthcare safety net. Medicaid expansion has brought coverage to hundreds of thousands of adults, but it has not ended uninsurance. For those still excluded from public coverage or unable to afford insurance, clinics such as MERCI remain a primary source of care.

Census Bureau data place the share of residents under 65 without insurance at about 9% to 11% in Craven County, 12.5% in Pamlico County and 13.6% in Jones County. MERCI Clinic serves more than 2,000 patients each year, providing 12,000 patient visits.

Who remains uninsured after expansion

North Carolina implemented Medicaid expansion on Dec. 1, 2023, closing a coverage gap that had left an estimated 173,000 low-income adults uninsured. By early 2026, more than 700,000 adults had enrolled through the expansion.

But some residents remain uninsured, including undocumented immigrants excluded under federal Medicaid rules, some lawfully present immigrants who have not met federal eligibility requirements, adults above the expansion income limit, and people who qualify but have not enrolled because of administrative barriers or lack of awareness.

On April 30, 2026, Gov. Josh Stein signed legislation addressing a $319 million Medicaid budget shortfall and making policy changes intended to stabilize North Carolina's Medicaid program. Those efforts do not eliminate the need for free clinics serving people outside the program.

MERCI is a nonprofit, volunteer-staffed community clinic providing free primary medical care, limited dental services and medications to low-income adults without health or dental insurance in Craven, Pamlico and Jones counties. Its services include primary care, limited dental care, pharmaceutical services, diabetes screening and education, health education and nutrition services, OB/GYN care, COPD screening, counseling and mental health services, and telemedicine.

The clinic is located at 1315 Tatum Drive in New Bern. Adults seeking to become patients must attend an eligibility appointment on Tuesdays or Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and bring proof of household income, proof that they have no health insurance and a valid photo ID showing their current address.

Local support keeps the clinic operating

MERCI's ability to provide that care depends heavily on its community. Individual donors and community partners supply 53% to 57% of the clinic's annual operating budget. MERCI Clinic Inc. reported approximately $1.4 million in revenue for fiscal year 2024.

North Carolina has made one-time budget allocations to free and charitable clinics, including $11.2 million over two years in one statewide budget action. Those appropriations have also included clinic-specific amounts such as $250,000 for Free Clinic of Rockingham County, $100,000 for Matthews Free Medical Clinic and $200,000 for Moore Free and Charitable Clinic. The state's Community Health Grant Program, established in 2005, has a maximum award of $150,000 per year. MERCI's operating model, however, depends primarily on sustained local donor support rather than state appropriations.

That makes MERCI on Middle more than a downtown gathering. Events like it translate directly into the clinic's capacity to care for uninsured residents in 2027.

MERCI on Middle event details

The 2026 event will feature chef-crafted local food, beer and wine, live music and a live auction on Middle Street in downtown New Bern. Ticket pricing and purchase information are available from MERCI Clinic at 252-633-1599 or hello@merciclinic.org.

Sponsorship opportunities are also available. Interested sponsors can email jmchugh@merciclinic.org, and sponsorships may be paid online or by mailed check to MERCI Clinic, Inc.

For thousands of people across Craven, Pamlico and Jones counties who remain uninsured and ineligible for state or federal programs, the money raised during a November street party helps determine whether free healthcare remains available in the year ahead.