MENASHA — It's a safety net, woven to ensure the health of Fox Valley residents who couldn't otherwise afford care.

Yet as the struggling economy puts more residents into that category, the Fox Cities Community Health Center is seeking its own safety net while watching its financial health wane.

The health center is in the midst of a fund drive, simply aimed at meeting its needs through the end of the year. The center has already received donations from a number of community partners, including the United Way and local foundations.

To date, it's raised about $7,500 toward a $25,000 matching grant from the J.J. Keller Foundation, yet still needs to raise more than $50,000 overall to continue care through December.

"The uninsured patient population is coming through the door faster than we can make money and secure funds to take care of them," Executive Director Kristene Stacker said Wednesday.

The center's needs are growing, because the community's needs are growing, Stacker said.

Last year, the center tallied about 4,200 patient visits. This year, it reached that same number of visits by the end of July.

James Steward of Appleton knows the value of the center. He was in its waiting room Wednesday.

"I lost my job awhile back, and if you get sick, it's there," he said. "It helps out a lot."

It's not a quick-visit clinic for one-time illnesses. It provides dental care, mental health services and ongoing care for chronic conditions including diabetes and hypertension.

Without the clinic, its patients might rely on pricier emergency room care. Many might hold off on care until a condition becomes serious enough to require hospitalization.

Stacker said 93 percent of the center's patients are uninsured and fall at a poverty level low enough to qualify for the center's minimum $20 fee.

The average cost of a visit is $150, she said.

Staff members have worked throughout the year to bring in funding and create efficiencies, yet demand hasn't slowed.