Beaten by her boyfriend, a 30-something woman turned to HealthPoint’s dental office to get help with pain in her jaw.

She then walked just a few doors down the human services campus to a free public telephone, which she used to find safe housing.

Later she returned to the same strip mall to find counseling and other services to help her through, such as a food bank and permanent housing.

That complex, Redmond’s Together Center, may be an example of how similar nonprofits can work in Issaquah, given enough support.

The center finished a city-funded feasibility study to explore opening of such a campus in Issaquah.

Aside from showing that the project was possible, the study revealed a greater need than initially thought.

Issaquah’s poverty level was “rather striking,” said Pam Mauk, executive director of the Together Center.

While the Issaquah area has a great deal of wealth, the number of poor rivals that in rural areas, she said.

Out of the 9,000 dental and health patients in Redmond, about 500 of them are from Issaquah.

About 40 percent of those are uninsured, and many more under-insured, said Debbie Wilkinson, the chief operations officer of HealthPoint. “There is a need for our services in Issaquah.”

Uncertainties

While the Together Center’s feasibility study explored all of the options, it didn’t come to many conclusions.

The space could be 16,000 to 32,000 square feet, leased, bought or developed. It could be run by the Together Center or a new nonprofit.

There’s not even a guarantee that it will happen.

The startup costs could range anywhere from $1 million to $11 million, serious cash in a bad economy.

But the group isn’t without support. The Issaquah City Council pledged $1 million, money held over from the Talus’ development dollars for affordable housing about two years ago.

That commitment was strengthened when the group went before council last week. Over a dozen representatives from interested nonprofits showed their support.

It’s too early in the planning process for groups to feel comfortable committing, but HealthPoint is among the most interested groups. It has 12 clinics scattered throughout the region.

“We’ve been at the table since the beginning,” Wilkinson said, but “we’re talking about a huge investment.”

Like in Redmond, its presence would be an anchor, taking up about 11,000 square feet with dental and health clinics, she said.

Campuses promise lower costs, which could also draw in groups already established in Issaquah, such as Youth Eastside Services, Eastside Baby Corner and the Issaquah Food Bank.

“Quite honestly, it’s an affordable rent,” Wilkinson said. “We aren’t wealthy organizations.”

In Redmond, a cluster of small offices share a copy machine, break room and bathrooms. Group training sessions offer professional development at a reduced cost.

Communication between the 18 groups also keep visitors from receiving the same services twice, and connect more people to help.

It’s not uncommon that the Hopelink food bank will pull patrons aside and send them to the HealthPoint clinic. Similarly, domestic violence victims often need help finding housing.

“This is an exciting ability to bring services south,” Mauk said.