Volunteers are the heart and soul of Idaho free clinics

Idaho’s free and charitable clinics provide crucial access to healthcare for many Idahoans without health insurance. Free clinics are a critical part of Idaho’s safety net that utilizes a hybrid volunteer/staff model to offer patients a range of health services including management of chronic conditions, preventative health screenings, behavioral health, dental health, and more. However, they would cease to exist without the support of partnerships, donations, and most importantly our volunteers.

This National Volunteer Week, the Idaho Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (IAFCC) owes a great deal of gratitude to the dedicated volunteers that keep each of our member clinics operational. Idaho’s free clinics hosted over a thousand volunteers in 2022, many of them healthcare professionals, who spent close to 27,000 hours of their time providing care to Idahoans in need.

“Volunteers are the heart and soul of Idaho's free clinics. In our clinics, we witness neighbors helping neighbors every single day. Idaho is still a place where the spirit of generosity and commitment to community thrive,” said Mindy Hong, Executive Director of The Idaho Association of Free and Charitable Clinics.

This past year, 13 Idaho free clinics provided 18,775 patient visits, 12,830 prescriptions, and 1,648 dental fillings and extractions at no cost, all thanks to our incredible volunteers. With the help of our partners and volunteers, $6.8 million in healthcare services and goods were delivered.

Karen Scriver, IAFCC Board Member and Clinic Director for Vineyard Boise Free Clinic said, “Our volunteers' heartfelt care is as important as their skills in supporting our patients. Vineyard Boise Free Clinic has been entirely staffed by volunteers compassionately providing outstanding medical care for those in need since 2000.”

At IAFCC, we are inspired by our volunteers to work harder for our clinics and for Idahoans experiencing healthcare hardships. This National Volunteer Week, IAFCC recommits to the work of securing ongoing support for our clinics and volunteers, while bringing attention to the growing need for access to quality healthcare in our great State. At this time, IAFCC asks students, professionals, and anyone with a giving heart to consider volunteering for a free clinic. Factors such as recession, Medicaid Unwinding, and healthcare insurance churn are predicted to strain the current capacity of clinics. To learn more about how you can help, please visit https://www.idahoafcc.org/volunteer.

UnMask the Facts: March Edition

In the update, we discuss how young kids are eligible for the bivalent booster, the three-year anniversary of the pandemic, that Paxlovid is closer to full FDA approval, new COVID-19 vaccine research, and the end of the Public Health Emergency. Read all about these insights and more in this month's Unmask the Facts!

UnmaskTheFacts_March2023

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Now hiring: Communications & Outreach Specialist at Idaho Association of Free & Charitable Clinics

TITLE: Communications & Outreach Specialist

STATUS: Part-Time (10-20 hours per week), contract

REPORTS: To the Executive Director

LOCATION: Remote

IAFCC seeks an energetic team player with excellent communication and creative skills to

help us fulfill our organizational mission. All candidates should have professional experience, life experience, or an educational background necessary to fulfill the position's responsibilities and support the underserved health needs of Idahoans.

The Communications & Outreach Specialist works collaboratively with the Executive Director and Board of Directors to develop and implement strategies to broaden organizational and programmatic reach and deepen impact. Communications will target a variety of audiences including IAFCC members, partner organizations, free clinic sector stakeholders, underserved Idahoans, and the public.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Assist in formulating and executing comprehensive marketing, branding, and communications strategies to promote awareness of IAFCC and member clinics, and raise awareness for the underserved health needs of Idahoans

• Develop and implement strategies to recruit and engage free clinic supporters and partners

• Identify and develop outreach strategies to support the needs of organizational members and their patients

• Assist in developing and executing communications strategies for IAFCC fundraising activities

• Generate messaging for online content that engages audience segments and leads to measurable actions

• Assist with the development, distribution, and maintenance of all print and electronic collateral including annual reports, email campaigns, newsletters, infographics, and brochures.

• Coordinate webpage maintenance—ensure that new and consistent information (calendar dates, blog entries, article links, stories, and events) is posted regularly

• Assist in coordinating and organizing monthly meetings that interest IAFCC’s members, board of directors, and stakeholders

• Oversee organizational responses to inquiries about IAFCC or Idaho free clinics

• Serve as the communications specialist for all IAFCC projects including Vaccinate with Confidence

• Other duties as assigned

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• A sincere commitment to working collaboratively with all constituent groups, including staff, board members, volunteers, donors, program participants, and other supporters

• Understanding of successful communications strategies for a wide variety of audiences

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Effective interpersonal skills

• A desire and openness for learning and collaboration

• Previous experience designing marketing materials and visual messaging

• The ability to work independently

• The ability to set goals along with a strong record of completing tasks

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

• A bachelor’s degree in public health, social work, health education, marketing, communications, or a related field is preferred

• Candidates enrolled in a relevant program or with experience working in communications or marketing should apply

COMPENSATION

The position is contractual with a compensation range of $16-22 per hour, depending upon qualifications and experience.

TO APPLY

Please email an introduction and current resume to admin@idahoafcc.org.