A local women’s health clinic has received a grant from a statewide organization to aid in community health outreach, especially when it comes to breast cancer awareness and screenings.

Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic got $30,000 this month, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, from Alaska Run for Women. The statewide organization of Run for Women hosts runs to raise funding for fighting breast cancer.

The local clinic was selected to receive funding because it “reaches a significant number of medically underserved women for outreach and early detection of breast cancer,” both on the Kenai Peninsula and in the communities across Kachemak Bay, according to a press release from Kachemak Bay Family Planning.

According to Reynolds, the funds from Alaska Run for Women will be used mostly for staff time spent on outreach in the community. This includes visits to the Homer Food Pantry, the Homer Public Library, health fairs, Salmonfest and places of employment around town to inform and remind people about the importance of routine screenings, she wrote in an email.

“Staff assist individuals figure out ways around barriers to accessing appointments such as transportation, childcare, fear of medical offices etc.,” Reynolds wrote. “Clinic staff assist (them) navigate to follow up services such as mammograms, other follow up care and return visits as necessary.”

This staff time is important, Reynolds said, because some people in the community who have little experience with the medical system can benefit greatly from extra help navigating it.

“Many clients report that it’s the many little reminders they encounter as they move through their daily activities that support their decision to follow through with an appointment,” Reynolds wrote.

Any funding remaining after being put to use supporting outreach efforts will be used to cover the costs of printing materials, staff travel and paid advertising, she said.

Reach Megan Pacer at mpacer@homernews.com.

This article has been updated to correct what kind of organization Alaska Run for Women is. A previous version of this article incorrectly identified it as a national organization in one part of the article.