PRESS RELEASE—Volunteers in Medicine Berkshires Receives Special Grant from American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation

At a time of increased need, funds will enhance the clinic’s ability to offer free medical care, including optometry and dental, to uninsured patients in Great Barrington 

Great Barrington, Mass. — Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) Berkshires, a free health care clinic serving uninsured residents of Great Barrington, Mass., is one of 14 clinics in the U.S. to receive a 2023 grant from Family Medicine Cares USA, a signature program of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Foundation. The $9,996 grant will be used to help the clinic purchase medical equipment and instruments to enhance primary care, from diagnosis through treatment. 

Over the past several years, free clinics like VIM Berkshires have seen a dramatic rise in patient visits – and those patients include men, women, and children. With 170 volunteers donating over 10,000 hours of their time, the VIM Berkshires saw 464 new patients in 2023. 

“The FMC USA grant will help VIM Berkshires not only provide quality healthcare to patients who are ineligible for insurance, but it will also help fill the influx of new patients,” said Ilana Steinhauer, executive director. “The immigration population is part of a 4% gap in Berkshire County who are uninsured and we provide quality healthcare for these individuals.” 

Tomás Owens, MD, FAAFP, president of the AAFP Foundation, says the need for free clinics – throughout the U.S. – far exceeds the existing capacity. 

“Our family physician donors understand the incredible demands that clinics like VIM Berkshires face these days,” says Owens. 

After this funding cycle, 121 free clinics – in 37 states and one U.S. territory – will have been awarded a Family Medicine Cares USA grant. 

About the AAFP Foundation 

The AAFP Foundation serves as the philanthropic arm of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Its mission is to advance the values of family medicine through humanitarian, educational, and scientific philanthropy dedicated to improving health. 

About Volunteers in Medicine (ViM) Berkshires 

VIM Berkshires provides free, comprehensive, high-quality health care, free of judgment, for patients in the region who are income-qualified and ineligible for health insurance. 

With more than 170 clinical and nonclinical volunteers, VIM provides primary care, dentistry, women’s health, optometry, behavioral therapy, and more, all under one roof. VIM also collaborates with community partners such as schools, local government, and housing agencies to address non-medical factors that contribute to good health, including food security, safe housing, employment, and childcare. 

By removing barriers to access and equity, VIM is creating a more integrated medical and social services ecosystem that keeps patients healthier and communities safer and more responsive. For more information, visit vimberkshires.org. 

Contact: 

Nelson Fernandez, Volunteers in Medicine Berkshires

nfernandez@vimberkshires.org / (212) 810-1764

Cheri Tabel, AAFP Foundation 

ctabel@aafp.org  / (800) 274-2237, ext. 6306