A NEW CARE CENTER
In February, 2024, ViM made the bold decision to open a second Care Center in downtown Pittsfield, where over half of our patients now live.
The Care Center is a direct result of our Care Works campaign, which we launched in June 2023. Since then, we’ve met over $5 million of our $10 million goal, allowing us to complete the most pressing phase of our project: opening a Care Center where Berkshire residents are in the most need.
How It Began
Before…
After!
June 2023
The Care Works Campaign is launched with three priorities: Create a new Care Center in Pittsfield; Renovate and expand our Great Barrington Center; and Create a fund to sustain our work for years to come.
July 2023
The site at 199 South Street, the former home of the CIP offices, is secured. Dan McManmon, the building’s owner, supported us in a total gut renovation to create a high-functioning facility.
August 2023-January 2024
ViM works closely with Allegrone Companies to create a space that works for our patients and multi-part care, including both clinical exam rooms as well as space for our Community Health Worker team.
February 2024
ViM sees its first patient in Pittsfield.
February 2024-May 2024
The soft launch of ViM’s Pittsfield office. Appointments are slowly added as we create systems that work for two ViM locations.
May 2024
The Grand Opening of ViM’s Pittsfield Care Center!
The Care Center Today
We now have established 756 patients in our Pittsfield office, including 303 new patients. From February to July 2024, we provided 1,596 appointments. 61% of our Pittsfield patients have families. Our Pittsfield location has allowed our team to integrate within a new community, discovering barriers to access and creating solutions. It has inspired the development of our New Patient Group, the creation of a Community Garden, and partnerships with local government, public schools, and nonprofits.
“To walk into that building and see the colors and the fabrics and the smiling faces—it’s showing the people who walk in that they are valued. For a population who doesn’t necessarily always get to feel that way very often, that has got to puff you up a little bit and let you think, ‘Wow, I matter.’ It shows real faith in the future of the community.”
National Recognition
In March, Senators Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) secured $441,000 in federal funding to support ViM’s efforts to increase health care access in Berkshire County through our new Pittsfield Care Center and Great Barrington expansion.
“I’ve fought alongside Volunteers in Medicine to make health care a right — not a privilege,” said Senator Warren. “This federal investment is an important step in removing barriers to health care access in the Berkshires so that even more people can get the quality health care they deserve.”
Then, on July 18, 2024, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren visited ViM’s Pittsfield Care Center to celebrate our achievements. She toured the new Care Center and participated in a roundtable with ViM Staff, Mayor Peter Marchetti, and representatives from the office of Tricia Farley-Bouvier.
We are grateful for the support of both Senator Warren and Senator Markey for this significant investment in our patients, community, and model of health care.
“This federal investment is an important step in removing barriers to health care access in the Berkshires.”
