I Have a Dream for Our Community
By Dr. Matt Mandel, Co-Founder, Volunteers in Medicine Berkshires
I have a dream. That no one in the Berkshires—regardless of where they come from, what language they speak, or how much money they earn—will be left behind when it comes to health care.
When we founded Volunteers in Medicine Berkshires over twenty years ago, it wasn’t because we had a grand institution in mind. It was because we believed in something simple, powerful, and urgent: that health care is a human right. That a just and compassionate community does not look away when our neighbors are in pain. That if we come together—doctors, volunteers, donors, staff, and patients—we can build something extraordinary.
We began in a borrowed space with a handful of clinicians and a small circle of volunteers. Today, ViM is a thriving nonprofit medical center in Great Barrington and Pittsfield, providing free, high-quality care to thousands of our neighbors—many of them immigrants, uninsured workers, and essential members of our community.
But more than a clinic, ViM is a promise. A promise that dignity and compassion are not luxuries but foundations. That being poor or undocumented should not mean being unseen. That healing doesn’t happen in isolation, but through trust, listening, and the belief that every life is worthy of care.
Every week, I see this promise fulfilled: a diabetic patient learns to manage her blood sugar; a man receives life-saving surgery because ViM made the connection; a frightened mother walks through our doors and is met with warmth and welcome. Every story reminds me that our dream was never a fantasy—it was a calling.
supporter who believes access to care strengthens the fabric of our whole community. In every patient who walks in afraid—and leaves feeling seen.
ViM began with the radical idea that we belong to each other. That idea still guides us. And in these times—when fear and division threaten the most vulnerable among us—we hold fast to the dream. A dream of health. Of justice. Of care without conditions.
If you believe in this dream, support it. Call us if you would like to visit our healthcare centers.
Editor’s note: At a time when access to healthcare remains out of reach for too many, Volunteers in Medicine Berkshires (VIM) is answering the call. In the past year alone, the free clinic has recorded a staggering 39% increase in patient visits since fiscal year 2023—and an 18% increase over just the past twelve months, with nearly 11,000 visits logged this year. These numbers tell a powerful story about a community in need—and a healthcare model that is working.
