Care Under Constraint
An Exhibition Honoring Selfless Medical Professionals
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What are Safety-Net Clinics and Community Health Centers?
Safety-Net Clinics or Community Health Centers provide healthcare for low-income, uninsured, underinsured, or otherwise vulnerable individuals. They treat patients regardless of their ability to pay, and their staff consists mostly of volunteers.
Bergen Volunteer Medical Initiative
Safety Net Clinics play a crucial role in healthcare equity, providing access to populations that face barriers such as income, insurance, language barriers, and immigration status.
"They're doing very important work, and I thought: I need to help out."
Volunteers—ranging from teenagers to retired seniors, medical practitioners, and medical students—gather to give back to our community.
Why Care Under Constraint?
As an immigrant student, I believe it is crucial to raise awareness of safety net clinics that provide services despite resource constraints. Immigrants like myself, both documented and undocumented, face challenges seeking healthcare due to monetary, cultural, language, and legal barriers.
With brutal cuts in federal funding, safety-net clinics and their patients are directly at risk—these altruistic professionals are operating under unprecedented challenges. Lack of professionals is also a common obstacle that pressures community healthcare providers.
As members of the community, our collective efforts are crucial. Anyone and everyone can help out—volunteering just twice a month or donating five dollars can provide much-needed care for our neighbors.
"It's harder to believe in times like this, but there are good people out there."
On another note, attention to public policy is critical.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), enacted in July 2025, cut federal spending for Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, and related safety net health programs. OBBB not only directly threatens accessibly and affordable healthcare but also exacerbates health disparities by cutting funds in programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. These reductions will harshly impact immigrants, low-income families, individuals with disabilities, and historically marginalized communities who rely on safety-net healthcare services. When care becomes unavailable, even the smallest illnesses or injuries can become fatal.
If funding cuts continue, the bill’s “beauty” will be measured not in fiscal savings, but in the widened gap between those who can afford healthcare and those who must forgo it.
"I read about the clinic in a local newspaper and stuck it to my refrigerator, thinking, I'm going to go help when I can."
This project adhered to HIPAA guidelines, and consent was obtained from practitioners, volunteers, and staff. No confidential patient information was disclosed. View Consent Form
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