Written by Anik Ghose
Edited by Ariel Tsai
The Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation (TCMF) has been selected for a Fiscal Year 2026 New Access Point (NAP) award from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), marking an important milestone in Tzu Chi’s ongoing efforts to expand compassionate, accessible, and high-quality healthcare for communities in need.
This milestone marks Tzu Chi Medical Foundation’s transition from Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Look-Alike status to a fully designated Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and strengthens its ability to serve medically underserved communities across California.
Tzu Chi Medical Foundation Selected for HRSA’s 2026 New Access Point Award
On August 13, 2026, HRSA announced its Fiscal Year 2026 New Access Points Awards, providing more than $102 million to support 158 health centers across the United States.
The Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation in El Monte, California, is among the organizations selected for this year’s award.
According to the HRSA FY 2026 New Access Points Awards, the federal investment will support health centers working to expand access to primary healthcare services in communities across the country.
For Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, this new federal support will strengthen our ability to expand access to care and advance the development of new health centers in California — helping us reach even more families and medically underserved communities.
It is a significant step forward, rooted in a mission that has remained constant for more than three decades.
Safeguarding Health With Compassion
Tzu Chi’s medical mission in the United States was established in 1993, guided by the belief that everyone deserves access to healthcare delivered with compassion, dignity, and respect.
Since then, generations of physicians, dentists, nurses, healthcare professionals, staff members, volunteers, donors, and supporters have worked side by side with one shared purpose: to safeguard health and provide compassionate care to those who need it most.
Today, Tzu Chi Medical Foundation continues to provide accessible, patient-centered healthcare through its health centers and medical outreach programs, with a particular commitment to individuals and families who face barriers to receiving care.
Becoming a Federally Qualified Health Center creates new opportunities to build upon this work. With additional federal support and resources, Tzu Chi Medical Foundation can strengthen its services while looking toward the future: expanding its reach, developing new health centers, and bringing compassionate healthcare closer to communities where it is needed most.
Expanding Healthcare Access in California
For Tzu Chi, healthcare has always meant more than treating an illness.
It means seeing and caring for the whole person. It means treating every patient with dignity and respect. And it means working to ensure that financial hardship and other barriers do not prevent people from receiving the healthcare they need.
The New Access Point award will help Tzu Chi Medical Foundation carry this commitment forward by expanding access to healthcare and supporting the development of new health centers in California.
As Tzu Chi’s healthcare network grows, the heart of the mission remains unchanged: bringing compassionate care to people and communities in need.
A Milestone Made Possible by Many
This achievement represents years of dedication from the many people who have helped build and sustain Tzu Chi’s medical mission in the United States.
We extend our deepest gratitude to our healthcare professionals, staff members, volunteers, board members, donors, community partners, and supporters whose dedication and compassion have brought us to this moment.
Most importantly, we are grateful for the trust of the patients, families, and communities we have had the privilege to serve.
As Tzu Chi Medical Foundation begins this new chapter as a Federally Qualified Health Center, our commitment remains the same: to care for those who need us, to make healthcare more accessible, and to bring compassion into every community we serve.
This milestone gives us an opportunity to take another step toward that vision — reaching more people, serving more communities, and helping ensure that quality healthcare is accessible to those who need it most.
Thank you for being part of this journey.
To learn more about this nationwide investment and see the full list of recipients, visit the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration’s FY 2026 New Access Points Awards.