Volunteering for Medically Underserved Children: Clinic With a Heart–Back-to-School Clinics

Medically underserved children, often from low-income families or areas with limited healthcare resources, face significant barriers in accessing essential medical services and represent a fundamental challenge to equity and social justice. School physicals and back-to-school clinics play a crucial role in addressing these healthcare needs, serving as a gateway to educational and extracurricular opportunities. Clinic With a Heart (CWH), a non-profit medical and dental clinic in Lincoln, Nebraska, serves as a model for addressing healthcare disparities. In 2023, CWH provided 3,109 visits to 1,846 unique patients, with 83% lacking health insurance and 63% having household incomes below $16,000 annually. The clinic offers a range of services, including general medical care, dental services, and school physicals. In 2024, CWH held four dedicated back-to-school clinics serving 128 students, and ensuring they met school and city health requirements. Clinics such as these school physicals promote regular access to healthcare and can have long term impacts on children’s growth and development. My personal experience as a volunteer at CWH, including helping run an Afghan Refugee clinic and aiding in the back-to-school clinics, highlights the importance of cultural awareness and empathy in healthcare. The hands-on involvement I experienced reinforced the significance of how community-based solutions are paramount in addressing healthcare disparities and promoting equity. As healthcare disparities continue to widen, organizations like Clinic With a Heart serve as crucial role-models for community-based solutions. Access for medically underserved children through these clinics are powerful in making a difference in people's lives promoting a healthier, more equitable community.