Nurse Practitioner Jami Vineyard’s journey at the Hope Clinic in Bartlesville is a testament to the power of human connection and the transformative impact of volunteering.
During her clinical rotation in Bartlesville in 2021, Jami, who is a nurse practitioner at the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas Coffeyville clinic, became friends with a nurse who volunteered at the Hope Clinic. She’s volunteered there since.
The Hope Clinic stands out as a unique, faith-based institution that provides free healthcare to uninsured or underinsured residents of the Nowata, Osage, and Washington counties of Oklahoma. Jami says its mission is to spread the love of Christ to the community by providing quality healthcare and spiritual guidance.
The clinic sees approximately 15-20 patients per week and fills around 90 prescriptions a week. The Hope Clinic commonly sees patients with high blood pressure, diabetes, and anxiety.
The clinic is 100 percent ministry-funded, and it does not file insurance or take payments. It is fully staffed with volunteers. It has a lab, pharmacy, six patient rooms, and a dental clinic. The clinic is open from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday nights and one Tuesday monthly.
“I absolutely love to volunteer at the Hope Clinic,” Jami says. “Not only because I am helping others, but because it is so encouraging to see and work with other volunteers. Every time I work, I meet someone new and learn about some new adventure they have been on or pray with them over a recent struggle. I may be exhausted and stressed from a long day before going, but I always feel relaxed and renewed when leaving.”
Before starting, volunteers have dinner together. It is like a family, Jami shares.
“Serving others definitely takes the focus off yourself and leaves you feeling humbled and worthy,” Jami says. “Anyone suffering from depression or anxiety should consider volunteering.”
