New pediatric clinic brings health care close to home for New Orleans East kids

Before the ribbon was even cut, three patients had arrived early Monday at the Manning Family Children’s new ThriveKids Community Clinic in New Orleans East.

Among them was Amari-Lyn Thompson, who was eating Cinnamon Toast Crunch at school when her face swelled so severely her eyes shut. In the past, she would have called her mother, missed school and hoped for an appointment somewhere in the city. This time, she simply walked across campus to the new clinic, located inside the New Orleans East Opportunity Center and connected to her school, The Net.

The ThriveKids Community Clinic, the first under Manning Family Children’s ThriveKids umbrella, is easily accessible to students from The Net and The Bridge on the same campus, along with children enrolled in the on-site daycare. It is also