Neighborhood & Built Environment

Where we live has a major impact on our health. Safe housing, clean surroundings, access to food and transportation, and spaces to move and connect all play a role in our overall well-being.

At Broadlawns Medical Center, we support efforts that strengthen neighborhoods and improve everyday environments. When people live in safe, supportive settings with access to care, resources, and community, they’re better able to stay healthy and thrive.

How Broadlawns Supports Healthier Neighborhoods

Local Clinics for Easier Access

To make care more convenient, we offer off-site clinics located in neighborhoods across Des Moines. These clinics bring trusted medical services closer to home--making it easier for people to get the care they need.

Our Community-Based Clinics Include:

By offering services in familiar, nearby locations, we help remove travel and access challenges for our patients.

Transporation Support

We partner with DART, our local transportation provider, to make it easier for patients to reach us. We provide bus tokens and help coordinate rides, and our campus includes an active DART bus stop used daily by patients and staff.

Encouraging Early Reading

  • We’re proud to support early learning by helping families build home libraries and encourage reading habits that last a lifetime.
    • Book Giveaway for Pediatric Patients: Every child receives a book at their first visit—promoting brain development and helping kids build strong learning skills early on.
    • Little Free Libraries: Our campus hosts small book-sharing stations, available to anyone, day or night. These boxes offer free books for children and adults, helping to remove barriers to reading and learning.

  • First Book Program Partnership

    Through our partnership with the First Book Program, we help distribute high-quality books to local children. Access to reading materials supports school success and creates more opportunities for kids to grow and learn—starting at a young age.



    Our Focus Areas

    • Expanding transportation options for patients
    • Growing neighborhood-based clinic services
    • Supporting early childhood reading
    • Providing more reading and learning resources