JayDoc is a free clinic located at 300 Southwest Boulevard in Kansas City, Kansas, that serves more than 2000 uninsured patients per year from all over the region. JayRock is a benefit concert for the volunteer student-run clinic. On February 11, JayDoc will host JayRock at the Uptown Theater with Liverpool, a renowned Beatles tribute band. (In the past, acts such as Third Eye Blind and the Republic Tigers played the event.) Wayward Blog talked to Abbie Shuester, the assistant director for fundraising, what JayDoc and JayRock are all about.
The Pitch: Liverpool, the Beatles tribute band, is headlining the event. What are some of the other bands that are going to be performing for the fundraiser?
Abbie Shuester: The Benders, a zoot-suit-style band out of Wichita, will be opening.
What made JayDoc choose Liverpool?
We've had some amazing acts in the past, such as Third Eye Blind, the Republic Tigers, and the Generationals. For JayRock 6, we wanted to truly offer an all-ages concert. The Beatles' music can be appreciated by a large population, and we were looking for a band that us students and our parents would enjoy, which made Liverpool a great choice!
The event is a fundraiser. How much of your budget is dependent on donations?
The success of our concert is very much dependent on donations and sponsorships. We have a general number of ticket sales we expect each year from our loyal students and volunteers, but this is a relatively small profit. This event, as well as our Benefit Dinner in the fall, are very important to our sustainability, as our granting situation changes from year to year.
How have the recent economic crises of the last couple of years affected JayDoc?
We are fortunate to have a small operational budget because we are staffed by volunteer med students, physicians, and community members. The last couple of years, we have been funded by local granting agencies such as REACH and Wyandotte Health Foundation; however, this funding is never guaranteed from year to year. This is why fundraising events like this are crucial to our survival. We also hope to continue to fund-raise to build our endowment, with a goal of $4 million, which would ensure our doors could be open forever.
What are some of the biggest challenges that come with the student-run free clinic?
One of the biggest challenges is the volume of potential patients we receive every clinic night. We are limited by our resources and volunteers, so we are able to see about 12 to 16 patients each Monday and Wednesday evenings, in which we have at least 30 seeking care. The other challenge is financial stability I mentioned above. JayRock is traditionally one of our biggest fundraisers, and we hope by featuring Liverpool this year, we can broaden the audience population and therefore a bigger success for JayDoc Free Clinic
Who are your typical patients?
We offer acute care on our general clinic nights (Monday and Wednesday) and specialty care on Tuesdays, which includes diabetes and women's-health nights, physical/occupational therapy, and ophthalmology. The majority of our patients are Wyandotte County residents and typically uninsured, although we do not ask for insurance status.
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