Free medical care is riding on generosity of donors

By Marshall Allen

Tuesday, June 8, 2010 | 2:01 a.m.

The Great Recession presents a conundrum for the supporters of Volunteers in Medicine of Southern Nevada.

The layoffs, unemployment and staggering numbers of people without health insurance — an estimated 400,000 in Clark County — show there’s never been a greater need for free medical care in Las Vegas.

But the economic turmoil makes it all the more challenging to provide.

During a recent gathering at the Henderson mansion of eBay founder Pierre Omidyar, the organization’s faithful seemed motivated by the conundrum, not defeated.

Lilting music by a harpist and a string quartet graced the cocktail chatter at the party, which offered a number of contrasts:

• The nearly 300 well-heeled supporters — most of them likely blessed with health insurance — were gathered because of concern for the uninsured.

• Unemployment in Las Vegas is at an all-time high, but the group was celebrating its volunteers. About 450 volunteer doctors, nurses, clerks and administrators operate the organization’s free clinic in Paradise Park.

• And in a city that’s infamous for its lack of philanthropic giving, at a time when money is tighter than ever and everyone is looking to cut back, Volunteers in Medicine of Southern Nevada needs money.

Volunteers in Medicine is working toward opening a second clinic, a proposed 12,000-square-foot facility near Martin Luther King Boulevard and Madison Avenue in Las Vegas. The building would accommodate up to 30,000 patient visits a year, providing free primary and prenatal care and vision and dental services to the uninsured.

The estimated price tag: $2.8 million.

Dr. Florence Jameson, founder of Volunteers in Medicine of Southern Nevada, acknowledged the challenge of raising money in the current economic climate. She said some donors have almost been in disbelief when they hear Volunteers in Medicine’s goal — which is no less than providing free health care to everyone who needs it in Clark County. But she makes no excuses for her ambition: “We need to be more idealistic now. People have had enough of the harsh, cold reality of suffering. We have to infuse them with some dreams.”

The organization started just two years ago, and some donors have wanted to see results before they ante up with their own contributions, Jameson said. But now that they see the success of Volunteer in Medicine’s Paradise Park location, which has been swarmed by patients, some donors are coming to the table, she said.

Mingling at the party was John Ritter, CEO of Focus Property Group and CEO of the Ritter Charitable Trust, which supports local charities in Southern Nevada. Ritter also sits on the boards of various nonprofit organizations, so he said he sees the effects of the recession through the eyes of a donor and a fundraiser.

Everyone has scaled back and restructured their giving, Ritter said. And pledges made in the glory days of the economy are being rescinded, he said. It’s not because people don’t want to give, he said, but because they can no longer afford to meet their philanthropic commitments.

Volunteers in Medicine of Southern Nevada has several strengths from a fundraising perspective, Ritter said. He praised Jameson and her husband, Gard Jameson, who also sits on the board of the Ritter Charitable Trust.

In addition, it’s a new organization, which means there is no existing infrastructure to drag it down financially, Ritter said. The 450 volunteers demonstrate that the organization is maximizing the dollars that are donated, he said.

And finally, because it’s a volunteer organization, they are not just asking for money.

“For someone like me, going through my own financial challenges, the ability to donate my time and not just my money is very rewarding,” Ritter said.

Of course, there’s still the need for that $2.8 million.

The Via Tivoli estate, the site of the cocktail party, overlooks the Las Vegas Valley from the south. The grounds feature tiled fountains, manicured lawns and palm trees and security guards. The interior wing where the party was held was all marble, sculptures and chandeliers.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made an appearance at the party. He looked around at the setting and expressed optimism about the fundraising goals.

“Do the people around here not have a few bucks?” Reid said, gesturing around the room. “I think so.”

Despite the economic depression, there is still an “ocean of wealth” in Southern Nevada, Jameson said.

She has seen the generosity firsthand. An anonymous donor paid $409,000 for the property for the new clinic.