Monthly Archives: June 2024

June 25^th, 2024 at 2pm-4pm

Columbus, OH – The Breathing Association will celebrate the grand opening of our new facility at 741 East Broad Street with a ribbon cutting ceremony on June 25th at 2pm. This momentous occasion marks not only the our relocation but also nearly 120 years of service to the community.

The event is made possible through generous sponsorships from Encova Insurance and AndHealth.

Our celebration will be attended by over 300 esteemed guests including partners, sponsors, friends, and government officials from the city, county, and state levels. Confirmed speakers include CEO Lori Sontag, and Board Chair Ed Frantz, who will share opening remarks, as well as other special guests. Attendees will also have the opportunity to tour the new facility guided by our leadership team.

Strategically located on East Broad Street, our new facility provides ample space to accommodate our rapid growth and to better serve the community’s needs. With an emphasis on accessibility, the relocation ensures that patients can easily access the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Center for essential post-hospitalization care. By expanding medical facilities, including exam rooms and mobile diagnostic capabilities, The Breathing Association aims to enhance patient care and reduce hospital readmissions, ultimately lowering healthcare costs.

Additionally, our new location will enable the organization to expand  outreach efforts, particularly in tobacco cessation and education through the Tobacco Treatment Center of Ohio. Moreover, increased capacity for the Ohio Department of Development Household Energy Assistance Program will facilitate smoother operations and better support for families facing utility burdens.

Since its founding in 1906 by Carrie Nelson Black during the Tuberculosis epidemic, The Breathing Association has been a cornerstone of charitable healthcare in Central Ohio. With a legacy of providing free healthcare services and extensive programs in lung health, nicotine cessation, and community assistance, the organization remains committed to improving lives for the next 120 years and beyond.

“We are delighted to celebrate this milestone in our organization’s history and look forward to continuing our mission of promoting lung health and wellness in Central Ohio,” said Lori Sontag, President & CEO of The Breathing Association.

For media inquiries or further information, please contact:

Jennifer Burroway
Director of Development & Marketing
The Breathing Association
Email: [email protected]

A historic Near East Side building has a new owner.

The Breathing Association plans to move to the building at 741 E. Broad St. in July. Jim Havens, principal at Havens Limited, bought the building for the nonprofit, and the organization is leasing it from him with the option to eventually buy it, CEO Lori Sontag said.

The building was put on the National Register of Historic Places in the 1980s.

The 117-year-old Breathing Association was founded during the tuberculosis outbreak in the 19th century. The nonprofit is the oldest free clinic in Ohio, and serves anyone with any lung health condition, including cessation from smoking or vaping, Sontag told me.

The Breathing Association also helps Central Ohioans with utility bills. In 2023, the organization helped more than 40,000 with their utilities.

The organization is funded mostly by donations and grants, said Jennifer Burroway, director of development for the Breathing Association.

Havens bought the Broad Street building for about $1 million. The Breathing Association is making some improvements to the inside of the building, built in 1942, which will cost another $5oo,ooo, Sontag said. Wellogy, a Dublin-based architect that specializes in healthcare design, is designing the modifications.

Moving the nonprofit to Broad Street will allow the Breathing Association to grow. It’s currently located on the first floor of the Columbus Urban League building on the Near East Side.

“Over the last two years, our growth caused us to need more space,” Sontag said. “We’ve seen that the demand is there; we think we’ll see more growth, especially in our clinic.”

The new building will allow the nonprofit to expand the clinic to treat broader health and wellness issues, Burroway said. The new location also has room for the Breathing Association to start a pulmonary rehabilitation center.

“We’re needed in the community,” Sontag said. “Without us, there would be a heavier burden on our area medical systems or people would have high medical bills that they never pay off.”

Netcare Access, a mental health clinic, previously owned the building.

Mike Simpson and Andrew Green of NAI Ohio Equities represented the seller in this deal.