One night, watching a 60 Minutes episode about a rural pop-up health clinic, an idea took shape. I work in public programming at Seattle Center, a civic campus in Seattle, and had been asked to expand use of our skills and resources to serve the community. What if we produced a free clinic? I knew there were people in our region delaying care, living with untreated conditions, or forgoing healthcare altogether. I wondered if others might share their time and expertise to help people who had been left behind as the healthcare debate raged.
After months of exploration, planning, and coalition-building, we opened Seattle/King County Clinic, offering free dental, vision, and medical care to those in need. To reduce barriers, we required no ID, proof of insurance or income. We had no idea who would come or how the experience would unfold. What we witnessed moved me deeply. Thousands travelled across the region and state - some seeking care, others volunteering to provide it. Patients included families, seniors, low-income individuals, immigrants, refugees, veterans, and others unable to access or afford care. We heard stories of years-long pain, conditions ignored out of necessity rather than choice, and immense relief for being seen and heard. Volunteers and partners expressed gratitude for the chance to provide compassionate care to their neighbors. Together with patients, we all helped form a community rooted in respect, humility, and grace.
More than a decade later, what began as a one-time endeavor has grown into an annual community project. Over ten four-day clinics, 35,000 volunteers have served 33,000 patients, saving them $30 million in out-of-pocket costs. This has renewed my faith in our shared humanity. It has shown the power of collective action, the impact of simple kindness, and the spirit of cooperation. While I hope for the day this clinic is not needed, I am proud to be part of a community willing to come together and fill a gap when the need is clear.
After months of exploration, planning, and coalition-building, we opened Seattle/King County Clinic, offering free dental, vision, and medical care to those in need. To reduce barriers, we required no ID, proof of insurance or income. We had no idea who would come or how the experience would unfold. What we witnessed moved me deeply. Thousands travelled across the region and state - some seeking care, others volunteering to provide it. Patients included families, seniors, low-income individuals, immigrants, refugees, veterans, and others unable to access or afford care. We heard stories of years-long pain, conditions ignored out of necessity rather than choice, and immense relief for being seen and heard. Volunteers and partners expressed gratitude for the chance to provide compassionate care to their neighbors. Together with patients, we all helped form a community rooted in respect, humility, and grace.
More than a decade later, what began as a one-time endeavor has grown into an annual community project. Over ten four-day clinics, 35,000 volunteers have served 33,000 patients, saving them $30 million in out-of-pocket costs. This has renewed my faith in our shared humanity. It has shown the power of collective action, the impact of simple kindness, and the spirit of cooperation. While I hope for the day this clinic is not needed, I am proud to be part of a community willing to come together and fill a gap when the need is clear.
