The Dream Center Clinic, or DCC, is a free medical clinic designed to serve uninsured families in the North Charleston, South Carolina area with an income below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, including the homeless ("About Us," 2008). North Charleston is a particularly apt spot for such a clinic, since the area's workforce is comprised mainly of people in the low-income service industry, many of whom work at jobs that do not provide employee health insurance ("About Us," 2008). Moreover, the city is listed as one of the highest crime areas in the nation, ranking in the top 15 ("About Us," 2008).
The DCC is a faith-based organization that is staffed by medical and non-medical volunteers with a mission to "understand and serve the health and wellness needs of the medically underserved" in the community by providing "quality, compassionate and personalized care" ("About Us," 2008). The DCC focuses on creating a caring environment where people can come and receive "the love of Christ" ("About Us," 2008). The vision statement for the organization is "To glorify God by reaching out to our underserved neighbors with healing hands and open hearts, fulfilling our purpose to serve their health and wellness needs" ("About Us," 2008).
One of the hallmarks of the clinic is its "Culture of Caring" philosophy ("About Us," 2008). This is a two-pronged philosophy that starts with the belief that "healing does not begin with a pill or a therapy" but when kindness is extended to people by greeting them, taking them in, showing an interest in their lives, and treating them with dignity and respect that others do not show them ("About Us," 2008). The second prong of the philosophy is that the greatest measure of healing is afforded not to those that visit the clinic for care but to those who volunteer at the clinic to provide that care ("About Us," 2008).
The services provided at the clinic include not only...