Ypsi herb shop launches monthly community clinic to help fill health care gaps

In an effort to expand low- or no-cost, community-centered health care, Ypsilanti’s Bloodroot Herb Shop has launched a monthly community clinic offering herbal health support, basic care, and connections to additional resources. Bloodroot founder, herbalist, and doula Alex Crofoot says the clinic builds on her passion for mutual aid work and a longstanding vision to integrate free care into her shop’s broader model. 

“I’ve been doing mutual aid work for over 10 years, and it was always the plan to have free clinics be part of what the shop offers,” Crofoot says. “But I had to figure out how to do that in a way that felt sustainable and didn’t risk taking something away from the community later.”

The clinic operates on a “parallel care” philosophy, positioning herbalism alongside conventional medicine. Crofoot emphasizes that the goal is not to replace traditional health care, but to help fill gaps many people experience in the current health care system.

“Everyone in this country is underserved as far as health care goes,” Crofoot says. “This is about creating additional options, not replacing anything. There’s room for both.”

During clinic hours, visitors can receive short, 20- to 30-minute consultations addressing a wide range of concerns, from acute issues like colds, flu, and minor infections to chronic conditions such as insomnia, anxiety, pain management, and reproductive health. Crofoot hopes that if the clinic model is well received and supported by the community, its scope can continue to broaden.

“I want to try to help people with whatever they need when they come in,” Crofoot says. “If something is out of my bounds, I try to help them find the right resources or connect them with a practitioner who can support them.”

For many visitors, Crofoot says the clinic provides not only care, but also a sense of being heard, which can be difficult to find in traditional health care settings.

“A lot of people feel seen in a different way here,” Crofoot says. “Sometimes they just need someone to listen or offer another perspective when they’re feeling frustrated.”

The clinic also draws on a network of volunteers and collaborators, including a certified nurse midwife, emergency medical technicians, herbalists, and other practitioners. This collaborative approach allows the clinic to offer diverse perspectives and forms of care while maintaining safety and accountability.

“There’s a really cool variety of people who want to provide services,” Crofoot says. “We’re building something that’s community-driven, where people can show up, contribute their skills, and learn from each other.”

Sustaining the clinic, however, will be a challenge. Crofoot is exploring funding options, including grants, community partnerships, and potential membership models, while encouraging local support through volunteering and outreach.

“If we want these kinds of resources to exist, we have to show up and help build them,” Crofoot says. “That can look like volunteering, spreading the word, or helping connect us with people who want to support this work.”

The next community care clinic will be May 17 from noon-3 p.m at Bloodroot, 208 W. Michigan Ave. in Ypsi. Walk-ins are welcome. More information about the clinic, as well as other services and events at Bloodroot, can be found at bloodrootherbshop.com or on the shop’s Instagram. Those interested in collaboration or volunteering can email Crofoot directly at bloodrootherbshop.mi@gmail.com. 

“This work is always going to evolve with what the community needs,” Crofoot says. “It’s exciting to watch it grow, but it only works if people continue to show up and build it together.”