By Madison Russ
When the stress of putting food on the table and just scraping by weighs heavy, health care can easily fall to the wayside. But one local nonprofit is offering residents a chance to prioritize their health — completely free of charge.
On Friday, Jan. 24, Volunteers in Medicine and the Cape May County Department of Health will host the Third Annual Free Day of Care from 12-6 p.m. at the Wildwoods Convention Center. The event will offer free medical exams, vaccinations and screenings for diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol, with eye screenings provided by the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Attendees will receive a boxed lunch and have access to community resources.
“The event, I think, is just a wonderful day. It’s everything good about our community,” said Jackie Meiluta, executive director of Volunteers in Medicine.
Since 2002, the Cape May County clinic has provided free care to underserved and uninsured residents who meet eligibility criteria. The organization operates with volunteer staff and health care professionals and serves around 500 active patients.
While the event is open to all, the uninsured will be prioritized. After receiving an exam at the event, attendees will be encouraged to register for ongoing care and given a follow-up appointment at the organization’s Cape May Court House clinic.
Meiluta said the event’s first year “knocked our socks off,” with more than 200 attendees. Of those attendees, more than half registered for ongoing care. The second year followed suit.
In some cases, the event helped diagnose individuals with uncontrolled health conditions.
“We had three young men show up, one of whom knew he was diabetic … but had not been really managing his care. His buddies convinced him to come,” explained Meiluta. “Of the buddies, one also was diabetic, and the other one had very high blood pressure.”
With ongoing care provided by the organization, Meiluta said the three men are now living healthier lives with their conditions more controlled. But these types of cases aren’t outside of the norm.
“The people we see haven’t typically seen a doctor in years,” said Meiluta, noting that the organization most often sees patients between the ages of 40 and 65.
Meiluta explained that the chronically uninsured work jobs that don’t offer health insurance, like in construction and the food service industry or as seasonal workers. The population they serve often earns too much to qualify for Medicaid yet too little to afford insurance on their own and are too young for Medicare or are immigrants.
“Our people are truly the working poor. They’re still in the prime of their life. They are the breadwinner for their family. If they miss work because they’re sick, that’s a day’s lost wages,” said Meiluta. “Unfortunately, the link between ill health and uninsurance is a direct spiral to homelessness because if you keep missing work because you’re sick, but you can’t afford to get care, eventually you lose that job.”
Individuals receiving care through Volunteers in Medicine will find it’s like any other doctor’s office — minus the bill —with added benefits like lifestyle programs and doctors who take extra care to educate patients.
The organization will even help guide patients if they need care outside the clinic.
“Anything that happens in our building is free. Anything that happens outside of our building, we advocate on their behalf,” said Meiluta, noting that while some hospitals offer generous charity care programs, patients often struggle to navigate them, and the organization has a team to assist with this.
Ahead of the upcoming Free Day of Care event, Meiluta said the organization is seeking volunteers with bilingual skills to assist with interpretation, particularly Spanish speakers.
“More than 50% of our patients, English is not their first language,” she said. “We could never have enough interpreters for the day.”
Though serving hundreds of patients in a single day can be exhausting, it’s more than worth it.
“By the end of the day, everyone that is involved feels so satisfied because they made a difference for the day,” said Meiluta.
Those interested in volunteering as interpreters or other ongoing volunteer opportunities can reach out at 609-778-2707 or email info@vimsj.org. The organization can also be supported through shopping at or donating to its thrift stores or making a monetary donation. Visit www.vimsj.org for more information.
Madison Russ is an award-winning journalist, copy editor and adjunct professor of communication based in Atlantic County. An Ocean City native, Madison is passionate about telling stories that matter to locals, often spotlighting nonprofits and exploring the area’s vibrant arts scene.
