A Force for Care: The Free Healthcare Roadshow Changing Lives Across California

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text...California CareForce does not wait for patients to find their way to a traditional clinic. It loads nearly $1 million in dental, vision and medical equipment into trucks and brings an entire temporary healthcare operation directly into communities across California.In this episode, I sit down with Executive Director Cyndi Ankiewicz to learn how California CareForce transforms fairgrounds and other large venues into no-cost clinics with 70+ dental chairs, vision exam lanes, onsite eyeglass production, X-ray equipment and basic medical services.We talk about the two-day setup required before a major clinic can even open its doors, the licensed professionals who volunteer away from their own practices and the local host committees responsible for helping bring each clinic to their community.Cyndi also shares several remarkable patient stories, including a veteran who received dentures and glasses before marrying his fiancée and a formerly unhoused patient who credited his new glasses with helping him complete a job application and secure employment.California CareForce has served more than 55,000 patients, engaged nearly 24,000 volunteers and delivered more than $21 million in donated healthcare services. Its clinics are open to people regardless of income, insurance, employment or immigration status.The greatest obstacle is not a lack of need. It is having the funding, providers and infrastructure required to reach more California communities.Learn more and support California CareForce:Website: https://www.californiacareforce.org/Upcoming clinics: https://www.californiacareforce.org/Clinics/Upcoming-ClinicsVolunteer opportunities: https://www.californiacareforce.org/Volunteer/Volunteer-OpportunitiesDonate: https://www.californiacareforce.org/DonateChapter Timestamps00:00 – The origins of California CareForce 02:00 – A healthcare roadshow with $1 million in equipment 04:00 – Building and operating a large pop-up clinic 07:00 – Referrals, continuing care and community partners 10:00 – Choosing communities and funding each clinic 14:00 – Dentures, eyeglasses and life-changing patient stories 17:00 – Volunteer providers and statewide impact 24:00 – The greatest need and what additional funding could unlock 30:00 – Beyond the Mission with Cyndi Ankiewicz 33:00 – How donors, volunteers and nonprofits can helpThank you so much for listening to this nonprofit story!  We appreciate you. Please visit the website to sign up for our email updates and newsletter. https://www.nonprofpod.com/  And if you like, leave me a voicemail to comment on the program, leave a question for us to ask in the future or a message for me, Jeff Holden. I may even use your voice mail message in a future episode of one of our incredible local nonprofit organizations. https://www.nonprofpod.com/voicemail. Thanks again for your support in listening, commenting and sharing the great work our local nonprofits are accomplishing.