| Outreach programs at Nuestra Clinica, Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles, CA
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November 27, 2009
Nuestra Clinica
By Carly Panchura
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| The July of 2008, Carol Daugherty and Greg Jahangiri opened the Nuestra Clinica in Boyle Heights. From its inception, the clinic has been built on the principal of providing patient oriented healthcare with a focus on bridging the gap left by many health plans that are often limited in coverage and scope of care. Those without coverage are not turned away even if they are unable to pay the low treatment fees. |
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| The Clinic currently has over 1300 active patients and provides 125-150 patients per week with general care such as: physicals, vaccinations, STD testing and treatments, gynecological and obstetric care among others. 99% of the clinic’s patients qualify for one of the government-run programs (all patients are between 150-200% the poverty line in order to qualify for clinic programs. |
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| Ninety five percent of Boyle Heights residents are Hispanic/Latino[i](99% of the Clinic’s patient speak Spanish only). Many are first generation or new generation immigrants from Mexico, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. This is a vastly underserved community in terms of medical services available. Residents in this community have a family income of $25,921, according to the most recent census (source: http://www.laalmanac.com/population/po24la.htm ) |
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| Throughout 2009, Real Medicine Foundation has partnered with Nuestra Clinica to expand the services offered at the clinic in order to treat the “whole person”. RMF has introduced health and nutrition classes, exercise classes including yoga, and numerous creative courses for children such as arts and crafts. Through these outreach programs we are creating a safe place where kids can learn new skills, interact with others, and have fun. All patients and their children are able to participate in RMF’s community outreach programs. |
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| Six to ten children participate regularly in the Saturday courses ranging in age from 4 to 15 years old and parents (who frequently jump in and exercise and learn along with their children). Roz Baker teaches a fitness class to music, and Daria Hines and Lynn Gardner, provide kids yoga classes once per month. The class instructors energize the participants, getting their heart rates up for the duration of the class. Participants often challenge each other to work on their fitness goals at home, making this program a success in the observable transfer of skills learned in the classes to the attendees’ home environments. |
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| The Real Medicine Foundation also provides pre-natal courses to pregnant women at the Clinic. The courses are conducted by an ACE Certified Trainer and Group Instructor and teach mothers to work out smart, eat healthy, and have fun doing it. The course is geared at women even if they have not worked out before. Mothers are taught what activities to do and what not to do during a pregnancy.
Finally, volunteer Lisa Vacca provides reading and art at the Clinic. The books chosen focus on mental/emotional health which opens the children up for discussion on everyday stresses/challenges. |
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| If you would like to volunteer, please contact Sarah Stern at sarah@realmedicinefoundation.org. |
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June 2009
By Sarah King Stern
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It has been close to a month now since our “Big Sunday” extravaganza! We opened our doors May 30th to the children of Boyle Heights, offering two workshops. Mischa Allen from Up Dog Down Dog Yoga, along with Dominique Salamone provided the children with their first experience with yoga, followed by an art project using recycled materials. Many were the smiles and giggles amidst the room. Ileen, one of our 9yr old participants was so appreciative for the experience that she made me a hand written card:
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“thank you Sarah for everything
You did you did a good friend
I love you as a friend thank you”
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The grammatical errors made the card just that more special, and I kept it as a remembrance of our very first day at Nuestra Clinica!
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Reading Workshop, Art, Toys and Snacks
Our first reading workshop began with the book The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister. Volunteers Yvonne Ambriz and her daughter, along with Nancy Kazar helped to put together a wonderful reading and discussion of this timeless piece of children’s literature. The children openly discussed friendships and the benefits of sharing with one another. We then began a sparkling art piece where the children created their very own rainbow fish. Meticulously one by one the children created their fish, one sequin at a time.
Afterwards, we let the children choose from the brand new toys that FOX had donated for the children. The Hannah Montana and High School Musical dolls were a BIG hit!! Snack time is another big hit at the workshops, when asked if any of the children had eaten that morning they all responded “no”. With healthy snacks graciously donated by Whole Foods Market, we were able to ensure that no child left without a full tummy and a big smile.
Health and Fitness with Roz Baker
With the clinic closed this weekend, we were not sure if any children would arrive for our Saturday workshop, when slowly they began to trickle in. We were so pleased to see that Giselle and her sister Monserrat had returned! They had participated in the reading program, the prior weekend and were back for more.
Roz, who has taught classes at our Florence and Western Medical Clinic outreach program, provided the children with a fun filled hour of movement and exercise. The excitement continued as a very large black spider decided to join the fun!
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I Like Me
Following Roz’s class, Hannah Stern (RMF youth team) read from the book I’m Gonna Like Me by Jamie Lee Curtis. We then had each child share with the group what they liked about themselves, which was difficult at first, but as the ball got rolling we found that we all have many beautiful things within ourselves.
We then had the children do self-portraits with the Title “I Like Me”, and as you can see we have quite the budding artists in our midst! When our time was up, Giselle told her mother that she was having so much fun that she didn’t want to leave. These are the moments I live for these days: gifts that don’t come in boxes.
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A “Big Sunday” Thank You
By Sarah King Stern
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“Dear Sarah,
I want to thank you for letting me be a part of big Sunday. It was great working with you and everyone that was there with us. I had a great time being with everyone on Saturday and Sunday. You are an awesome person. I also got to learn and do something new that I have never done. And I also got to meet and work with new people. And got my community service hours done. Thank you very much for everything I hope I can go and help you guys out some other time. Hope to see you soon. “
--Ana Arredondo
Ana Arredondo is a junior at Taft High School and helped us with the transformation of the community outreach center at Nuestra Clinica. Ana enjoyed the experience so much that she has offered to volunteer her time as a Spanish translator for our weekend classes. It has been so wonderful to bridge the gap of adolescence and adulthood through the experience of giving. I am so excited that she and others have found the magic that I have found in working with Real Medicine.
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May 2009
By Sarah King Stern
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“Big Sunday” doesn’t even begin to describe the weekend we and our team of volunteers experienced. Our journey with “Big Sunday” began with Patti Callicot. Patti had been a part of the community garden project at Phoenix House in Venice Beach the prior year, and provided us with the introduction to Big Sunday’s founder David Levinson.
When we first met with Carol and Greg from Nuestra Clinica, they had expressed the desire and need for a community outreach program for members of their community in Boyle Heights but the space in the clinic was very limited.
Being that there were vacant offices upstairs from the clinic, we approached the landlords, Todd and Alisa Nathanson. It was a match made in heaven: Todd and Alisa were familiar with “Big Sunday” and had participated in other projects with them. With the collaboration of Real Medicine, Big Sunday and Nuestra Clinica a 1-year lease was signed for the two front rooms above the clinic.
Patti Callicot had a vision for the space and a plan for the “Big Sunday” weekend – and volunteers from FOX Gives, Real Medicine, Taft High School, Marymount High School and Nuestra Clinica all convened upon the clinic to help make Patti’s vision a reality. Everyone had a wonderful time, new friendships were made and new skills learned.
The space was transformed into a tranquil, fun, contemporary “Indian” themed area for all to enjoy. The front room became an area for our yoga, fitness and healthcare outreach workshops, along with reading and art programs for members of the community. The side room was made into a donation room, with clothing organized in a manner that would provide any of its recipients with a sense of dignity.
Our greatest thanks to all that came out to support Real Medicine Foundation’s beginning to a lifetime of memories at Nuestra Clinica! We received many thank you letters and emails from the “Big Sunday” volunteers, expressing their joy in having the opportunity to work as a part of a team to give back to the community.
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| History |
| In July of 2008, Carol Daugherty and Greg Jahangiri opened the Nuestra Clinica for the vastly underserved people of Boyle Heights in East Los Angeles. Now, less than a year later, they have over 600 active patients and provide about 100 people per week with general care such as: physicals, vaccinations, std testing and treatments, gynecological and obstetric care among others. |
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| From its inception, the clinic has been built on the principal of providing patient oriented healthcare with a focus on bridging the gap left by many health plans that are often limited in coverage and scope of care. In the same vein, those without coverage are not turned away even if they are unable to pay the low treatment fees ($30). “We hardly ever say no to anyone who cannot pay, we will even take less of a profit just to ensure that our patients get the care they deserve,” says Ms. Daugherty. |
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| This year, Real Medicine Foundation (www.realmedicinefoundation.org) has partnered with Big Sunday (www.bigsunday.org) in recognition and support of Nuestra Clinica’s work. Together, we hope to expand the services offered at the clinic so that its founders, Daugherty and Jahangiri will be able to realize their dream of treating the “whole person” by introducing new community building programs such as computer and job training courses, and alternative healing methods such as yoga stress release, nutrition, and natural approaches to managing diabetes. |
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| With 99% of their patients Spanish speaking only--first generation or new generation immigrants from Mexico, El Salvador, and Nicaragua--Nuestra Clinica also hopes to teach English to children and adults as a second language. |
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| Beginning May 2nd and 3rd with the help of Real Medicine and Big Sunday volunteers, the 2000 square foot space, featuring four exam rooms, two offices, one OB education room, a waiting room and a small staff room, will be expanded upstairs to allow two new rooms for these new courses and services. |
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| None of the new work will affect the hours of operation currently run at the clinic: Monday- Friday 9-5:30pm and Saturday 9-1pm. The clinic is located at 3004 Whittier Blvd. LA, CA. 90023 between Soto St. and Lorena Blvd. in Boyle Heights. |
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| For more information or to make an appointment, phone (323) 264-0535 |
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