The non-profit community organization, Health Camp of New Jersey (HCNJ), hosted a celebration for the opening of the Lata Atul Shah Community Health Center on Saturday, September 19, 2026. More than 100 invited guests, community members, healthcare professionals, civic leaders, volunteers, and supporters attended the opening ceremony.
The new center in Franklin, NJ, represents a significant expansion of HCNJ’s longstanding mission of providing preventive healthcare, health education, and access to care for uninsured, underinsured, and underserved individuals.
The Lata Atul Shah Community Health Center is being developed as a Health Center Program Look-Alike (LAL), with the long-term goal of achieving Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) status. It plans to provide year-round primary and preventive healthcare, chronic disease management, health education, and coordinated referrals, building upon HCNJ’s successful community health fair programs. HCNJ has received numerous community service honors, including the New Jersey Governor’s Jefferson Award for Public Service and the NJBIZ Healthcare Heroes Award.
Describing the new center as a “dream project,” Dr. Tushar Patel, president of HCNJ, welcomed guests and thanked volunteers, healthcare professionals, donors, community organizations, and supporters who helped advance HCNJ’s mission for more than two decades.
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“For more than 27 years, Health Camp of New Jersey has been bringing preventive healthcare and health education directly into our communities,” said Dr. Patel. “The Community Health Center allows us to take the next step in that journey by providing primary and preventive healthcare services throughout the year to individuals who may otherwise face barriers to accessing care.”
Dr. Patel also recognized the many community organizations and institutions that have supported HCNJ throughout its history.
Among those who addressed the gathering were Lata and Atul Shah, principal donors and members of the HCNJ Board of Directors; their sons, Dr. Jigesh Shah of Dallas and Dr. Vatsal Shah of Ohio; HCNJ Board of Directors Shirish Parekh, Kiran Kothari, Subhash Shah, Ritesh Shah and Dr. Rupen Parikh. Community Physicians Dr. Sunanda Gaur, retired professor at Rutgers; Dr. Rajeev Mehta and Dr. Kusum Punjabi of RWJ New Brunswick; Dr. Ranjita Sengupta, cardiologist at RWJ Somerset; Dr. Sandya Desai, Julie Diaz, Deputy Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development; Sivaraman Anbarasan, Councilman of Franklin Township; community physician; Nalin Shah of Swajan; and Upendra Chivukula, former Mayor of Franklin Township and former New Jersey State Assemblyman.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony included Lata and Atul Shah, Dr. Jigesh Shah, and Dr. Vatsal Shah.
Madhura Murali Das and Vedatma Daga of Radha Gopinath Mandir in Edison, New Jersey, led traditional chants during the ceremony.