This Short-Term Volunteer Opportunity Can Help Change Lives

Volunteer registration is now open for the Seattle/King County Clinic, the state’s largest free health clinic, which returns to Seattle Center on February 15–18, 2024. The clinic is a joint venture among public, private, and nonprofit organizations concerned with addressing growing health disparities in the region.

Clinic partners hope to recruit more than 3,000 volunteers to set up, operate, and take down the event, which offers free dental, vision, and medical care for people in need. Both clinical professionals and non-clinical volunteers are needed to provide ambulatory care to thousands of un- or underinsured people in the region who are otherwise unable to access and/or afford the care they need. Since the Clinic’s inception in 2014, 27,000 volunteers have saved the same number of patients more than $23 million in out-of-pocket costs through services provided free of charge over the course of several days.

“The impact the Clinic has on the region cannot be understated—these volunteers change lives,” said Julia Colson, Project Executive. “Many people think this is a health fair that only serves people experiencing homelessness. What they find instead is a giant, fully functioning clinic that serves people from all backgrounds and circumstances who simply can’t afford their own healthcare.

“Volunteers are inspired by the opportunity to use their skills and expertise to care for their neighbors,” Colson continued. “They are blown away by the extent of services provided, which range from dental extractions and prescription eyeglasses to diagnostic imaging and lab services.”

Volunteer registration is now open at seattlecenter.org/volunteers. Clinic organizers are seeking dental, vision, medical, and social work professionals as well as general support volunteers and interpreters (especially ASL, Amharic, Cantonese, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish, Tigrinya, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese). Administrative, IT, and operations support is also needed, as well as patient escorts.

The number of patients the Clinic can serve on a given day is directly tied to the number of participating volunteers. Sign-ups are especially needed on Thursday and Sunday, as well as morning shifts.

To learn more about Seattle/King County Clinic visit seattlecenter.org/skcclinic or call 206-684-7200.