Generations of Doris Ison’s Relatives Visit CHI for Reunion

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President and CEO, Blake Hall, takes a selfie with Doris Ison’s family.

When Doris Ison founded Community Health of South Florida, Inc. (CHI) in 1971, she rallied a group of volunteer doctors to work out of two double-wide trailers on SW 216th Street. The move was a desperate measure to stop black people from dying enroute to Jackson Hospital downtown. Without any medical resources for minorities on the Southern end of the county, Ison saw the need and decided to meet it – any way she could.

Today, her dream has grown into 13 health centers, 35 school-based suites and more, providing comprehensive high-quality care to more than 65,000 patients a year.

This summer, dozens of Ison’s relatives came to visit the Doris Ison Health Center, but many had never been and did not realize just how big Ison’s vision had become.

“I am really in awe and humbled at the fact that her dream and her legacy, along with all the people that helped her at that time, were carried out,” said Kim Capers, a second cousin of Ison. “I know it couldn’t have been easy with laws and regulations at the time that excluded the minority class. But I think CHI has really developed a program that is inclusive of everyone.”

The visit was part of a family reunion. Together, they learned about the services and programs now provided by CHI and the impact the organization is making on the community.

Herbert Clarke is Ison’s nephew. He worked as a Case Manager at CHI in the late 90s and has not been back since, until now.

“It’s tremendous, the growth and impact on the community,” said Clarke. “It’s significant…just awesome.”

CHI’s President and CEO, Blake Hall, greeted the Ison family in the boardroom with a copy of the CHI History Book, “Standing in the Gap,” for each of them. He presented an overview of all the services and programs the organization offers along with the demographics of the patients served. He also spoke about developments like the Brodes H. Hartley, Jr. Teaching Health Center, dedicated to training the next generation of doctors and healthcare professionals, as well as the capital campaign to build the Children’s Crisis Center for kids with severe behavioral health issues. It is a project now under construction.

“It’s been a great journey, and it truly is an honor to be part of the evolution of Ison’s dream,” said Hall as he became emotional. “It’s now a mission that I share with my team here and gives us purpose every day.”

Generations of Ison’s family sat around the boardroom table admiring the work, commitment and compassion of the CHI staff.

“I think about how Ison, a tomato picker, was able to start something of this magnitude,” Tiffani Helberg, Vice President for Communication, told the Ison family. “It inspires me and reminds me that anything is possible when you are determined to make a change and lives are at stake.”

Many of Ison’s relatives vowed to stay committed and connected to CHI like Carolyn Taylor Pates who has served as a board member for years. They want to watch Doris Ison’s vision continue to blossom for people of all races and demographics.