Anne Kastor Brooklyn Free Clinic Expands Dermatology Services with Generous Grants
By Office of Communications & Marketing | Jun 14, 2024
Brooklyn, NY 鈥� The Anne Kastor Brooklyn Free Clinic is thrilled to announce the receipt of two significant grants this Spring, totaling $70,000, aimed at expanding their Dermatology services. These grants will play a crucial role in furthering the clinic鈥檚 mission to provide equitable health care to underserved communities in Brooklyn.
Vaseline鈥檚 Mended Murals Campaign Grant
A generous $50,000 donation from Vaseline鈥檚 Mended Murals campaign will bolster the clinic鈥檚 efforts to advance health equity. The Mended Murals campaign leverages art restoration to highlight the importance of skin care for people of color and emphasizes the need for increased access to skin health resources. Vaseline has collaborated with local artist Robert Vargas to restore the murals 鈥淔lowers of the Empire鈥� and 鈥淕ods That Walk Among Us鈥� in our community. This initiative, an extension of Vaseline鈥檚 2022 launch of SeeMySkin.com鈥攁 platform that helps users search for skin conditions on the skin of color and connect with relevant healthcare providers鈥攗nderscores Vaseline鈥檚 commitment to skin health. The Brooklyn Free Clinic is now proudly listed as a partner clinic for Mended Murals on SeeMySkin.com.
CeraVe鈥檚 Care for All Program Grant
In addition, the clinic has been awarded a $20,000 grant from CeraVe鈥檚 Care for All program. This grant, part of a broader partnership with the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (NAFC), aims to expand access to dermatological care nationwide. In 2023, CeraVe supported 15 clinics and aims to reach 25 new clinics in 2024 through its collaboration with the NAFC. This funding will enable the Brooklyn Free Clinic to expand its dermatology referrals program, providing vital services such as biopsies with skin pathology diagnoses at no cost to patients. This program operates in close partnership with Downstate鈥檚 outpatient Dermatology clinic.
鈥淲e are grateful for these generous grants from Vaseline and CeraVe. These funds will significantly enhance our ability to provide specialized dermatological care within our community,鈥� said Claire O鈥橪aughlin, Co-Chief Operating Officer of the Anne Kastor Brooklyn Free Clinic. 鈥淥ur goal is to ensure that everyone, regardless of financial situation, has access to high-quality care. These grants will help us realize that goal.鈥�
鈥淭hese grants mark a significant step forward in enhancing dermatological care for Brooklyn鈥檚 uninsured community, reinforcing the clinic鈥檚 commitment to providing comprehensive and equitable healthcare services,鈥� said College of Medicine Dean F. Charles Brunicardi, M.D. 鈥淲e are grateful to the entire Anne Kastor Brooklyn Free Clinic for their commitment to making sure that our community members maintain good skin healthcare. The team is eager to collaborate on this initiative to expand prompt, high-quality care for patients with skin concerns, which accounted for over 10 percent of specialty-specific visits to the clinic in 2023.鈥�
Members of the Anne Kastor Brooklyn Free Clinic include the clinic鈥檚 Chief Operating and Development Officers, Claire O鈥橪aughlin and Mojde Yadollahikhales, as well as the BFC Referrals team鈥擱aphael Kirou and Sana Sajjad鈥攁nd student liaisons Adam Naqvi and Robert Adler. Special thanks go to Felix Rozenberg, Lulu Wei, Emily Pesek, Ellie Winge, and the entire 2023-2024 BFC Council for their dedication to designing this program and securing the necessary funding.
含羞草研究所 The Brooklyn Free Clinic
The Anne Kastor Brooklyn Free Clinic (BFC) is a student-run free clinic offering medical, psychiatric, physical therapy, and social work services at no cost to uninsured patients in New York City. The BFC provides free preventive screening services as well as free and low-cost medications and medical referrals for our patients. BFC is entirely staffed by volunteers who are students and medical professionals at 含羞草研究所 Downstate Health Sciences University.
For more information
Contact Mojde Yadollahikhales and Claire O鈥橪aughlin at codo@brooklynfreeclinic.org or Robert Adler at dermatology@brooklynfreeclinic.org and visit our website to learn more about our clinic.