BY CATHY HALL for WEEKLY VOLCANO 2/6/26 |
In the wet and cold of a Pacific Northwest winter, the thoughts of those at Community Health Care do not turn to hot cocoa and fires in the fireplace. No, we think of Lunch and Laughter. You might be thinking to yourself, what is Lunch and Laughter? It’s pretty self-explanatory, really. It’s lunch, followed by a short comedian set. Sound like fun? It should because it is.
Community Health Care throws this party every year. No need to sugarcoat it, not only is it a fun, lunchtime activity, it’s a fundraiser, too. If you are familiar with Community Health Care, you know we are a federally qualified health center (FQHC). FQHCs are health centers that provide medical, dental, and behavioral health services to everyone who needs them, insured or uninsured. We take most insurance, including state insurance programs like Medicare and Apple Health (Medicaid). Lunch and Laughter helps fund the part of our population that does not have insurance or enough money to afford care.
With spiraling health care costs, organizations like Community Health Care are more important than ever. Believe it or not, organizations like Community Health Care can help keep health care costs down, even for those with insurance.
Uninsured people tend to delay care for themselves, living with conditions that can worsen without being seen by a medical, dental, or behavioral health provider. These people wait until their condition becomes emergent, then they go to the emergency room. More patients in the emergency room means longer wait times. Sometimes, after being seen in the ER, the patient is unable to pay the high cost of a visit, so they default on that payment. Hospitals have to absorb that cost, raising prices to pay for it, then charging insurance companies and those that have insurance more for their premiums. It’s a vicious cycle that just keeps repeating itself, and prices keep going up.
We fundraise via Lunch and Laughter for our Patient Care Fund. This fund pays for the patients who can’t otherwise afford care. If the uninsured have a place to go, like Community Health Care, patient illnesses and chronic conditions can be addressed before they become emergent, keeping people away from the ER and helping to keep costs down.
Both the lunch and the laughter are free. If you can, we ask that you make a donation to our Patient Care Fund. No donation is too small. Everything helps. We hope to see you there!
Reservations are required. You can register and/or donate here: https://www.commhealth.org/donate/lunch-and-laughter/
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Hotel Murano, Bicentennial Pavilion
1320 Broadway Plaza, Tacoma, WA 98402
11:00 AM Doors Open
11:30 AM Lunch Begins
