When the idea of Seattle King County Clinic came up, I was working in health care and trying to find a way for my organization to use its resources to help the community. About that time the Seattle Center had an idea to get community support to give away free dental, vision, and medical services. The Center team knew events, my organization knew health care.
It was an instant fit and that connection is still going strong 10+ years later. Even though that organization was acquired and has a new name and I am four jobs removed from that one, we both continue to join thousands of individuals, businesses, organizations, and volunteers to keep it going.
I show up because it's something tangible I can do. Seeing the patients' eyes light up when someone explains in a familiar language that "the pain will go away when the volunteer dentist pulls that tooth." Or when someone says, "I'm here so I can get glasses like you so I can read a job description."
This is a place where there are no required questions about immigration status, or any other status. Patients that come to the clinic are seen and heard in a way that feels and is noticeably different. Volunteers are there to offer their support to neighbors, strangers, colleagues, and friends who can't afford an $1,800 crown, or the deductible for their glasses, or can't find a dentist who takes Medicaid, or...and the list goes on.
In the world of other, this is a community of us. I will continue to support this clinic with my time and energy even as I take off five vacation days, and arrive at 4:30 a.m. and stay until 6 p.m. We are showing that our community cares even if the news and everything around us is saying something different. Individuals can come together to make a difference and the greater Seattle community shows up every year and demonstrates not only what it can look like, but also what it feels like, to be part of the doing to help make our community a little bit better.
It was an instant fit and that connection is still going strong 10+ years later. Even though that organization was acquired and has a new name and I am four jobs removed from that one, we both continue to join thousands of individuals, businesses, organizations, and volunteers to keep it going.
I show up because it's something tangible I can do. Seeing the patients' eyes light up when someone explains in a familiar language that "the pain will go away when the volunteer dentist pulls that tooth." Or when someone says, "I'm here so I can get glasses like you so I can read a job description."
This is a place where there are no required questions about immigration status, or any other status. Patients that come to the clinic are seen and heard in a way that feels and is noticeably different. Volunteers are there to offer their support to neighbors, strangers, colleagues, and friends who can't afford an $1,800 crown, or the deductible for their glasses, or can't find a dentist who takes Medicaid, or...and the list goes on.
In the world of other, this is a community of us. I will continue to support this clinic with my time and energy even as I take off five vacation days, and arrive at 4:30 a.m. and stay until 6 p.m. We are showing that our community cares even if the news and everything around us is saying something different. Individuals can come together to make a difference and the greater Seattle community shows up every year and demonstrates not only what it can look like, but also what it feels like, to be part of the doing to help make our community a little bit better.
