Our History
|
Name History Medical Reference Service November 23, 1966 – December 4, 1969 Medical & Dental Referral Services December 5, 1969 – April 11, 1990 Caritas Clinic April 12, 1990 – June 24, 1996 Volunteer Healthcare Clinic June 25, 1996 – Present Milestones
1966 - The clinic is founded by the Ladies of Charity of St. Theresa's Catholic Church and Father Richard McCabe. 1969 - Dr. John McCabe begins seeing patients, our very first volunteer physician 1982 - The clinic relocates to 1108 W. 34th Street 1993 - A permanent home is established with the purchase of our building on Medical Parkway with help from the Daughters of Charity of Seton Hospital 1999 - The Chronic Disease Management Program is launched 2008 - A successful capital campaign leads to a major building expansion 2009- Two key initiatives begin: Healthy Kids Day and the Diabetic Blindness Prevention Program (DBPP) 2016 - Electronic Medical Records are implemented, and the clinic celebrates its 50th Anniversary with a gala 2018 -The inaugural “Tuned to Health” musical fundraiser debuts at ABGB 2026 - The Clinics celebrates its 60th Anniversary and planning begins for the expansion of our Clinic and a Capital Campaign Funding
|
It All Began in 1966 The story of the Volunteer Healthcare Clinic began in 1966, when the Ladies of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul at St. Theresa’s Church recognized a critical gap in medical services for those in need and chose to take action. These dedicated and well-connected women enlisted private physicians to provide free care to patients in their own offices and handled the scheduling of patients themselves. This effort became known as the Medical Referral Service, the Clinic’s original name. Around the same time, Father Richard McCabe, then Director of Catholic Charities, sought a meaningful way to engage his recently retired father, Dr. John McCabe. Partnering with the Ladies of Charity, they established a small daytime clinic in a borrowed space, marking the beginning of direct, on-site care. For many years, Dr. John McCabe faithfully served patients twice a week in morning clinics. As the community's needs grew, additional volunteer medical professionals joined, and evening clinic hours were introduced to expand access. Over the years, the Clinic operated out of several shared and borrowed locations, including a building on the grounds of St. David’s Church. There, it shared space with Caritas, another nonprofit founded by Father McCabe (later Monsignor McCabe). Because of this close connection, the Clinic became widely known as the Caritas Clinic, which eventually became our official name. A major milestone came in 1993, when—with the support of the Daughters of Charity of Seton Hospital—the Board of Directors purchased and renovated a permanent home at 4215 Medical Parkway, where the Clinic continues to operate today. In 1996, to reflect and honor the countless individuals, volunteers, and community partners who make our work possible, the organization adopted its current name: the Volunteer Healthcare Clinic. Volunteers remain the heart of our Clinic and make our work possible. |
