Sponsored by Community First Bank of Indiana
Heart and Soul Free Clinic Executive Director Lisa Zouvelos Kreag says people in Hamilton county are often surprised to hear that there’s one free clinic in the area.
“But then when you tell them that there are actually three, they’re even more surprised,” she says.
Founded in 2009 by Sandy Kirsch, Heart and Soul Free Clinic serves the uninsured and the underinsured, fostering healthier communities in and around Hamilton county. This is something many don’t realize is an issue for people living in Hamilton county.
“The people that we serve tend to be employed individuals and they’re working jobs such as servers; they’re bringing us our food when we go to the restaurants, they’re bringing us our coffee at coffee shops, they’re hairdressers, they’re landscapers and day care providers,” Zouvelos Kreag says. “Those are the individuals that we’re taking care of because those jobs don’t typically offer insurance. They’re hourly jobs without any benefits, and you don’t go, you don’t get paid. So it’s important for those individuals to stay healthy.”
Zouvelos Kreag began as a volunteer and has been executive director since 2019. As a social worker, Zouvelos Kreag found the clinic to be the best amalgamation of all the workplaces she’s been a part of.
“[The clinic] just kind of fits everything,” she says. “It’s a place that people can go, feel safe and get their health care.”
There is absolutely no charge for any provided services, follow-up appointments or classes.
The clinic sees hundreds of patients a year. The clinic’s main classes are on diabetes, hypertension and women’s health, and all address an issue beyond immediate medical conditions.
“We find that there are many individuals – not everybody – that have kind of a low health literacy,” Zouvelos Kreag says.
The ability to connect patients with resources outside of the clinic is largely due to the network of health care providers and other social services in Hamilton county. Zouvelos Kreag works together with the Good Samaritan Network and Hamilton County schools to spread the word wherever it’s most needed.
In addition to walk-in hours, the clinic hosts a women’s health clinic; a walk-in dental clinic the first Saturday of each month; short-term, solution-focused mental health services; and a mobile medical unit. The mobile medical unit runs from March through December, visiting Delaware Township Trustees in Fishers the third Monday of each month, and Gramercy Apartments in Carmel the third Friday of each month.
With only nine paid staff, any and all volunteers are welcome, no matter someone’s health care background. Zouvelos Kreag is seeking people who speak Spanish well enough to interpret, anyone able to help with office matters, organization or events, as well as those with the desire to be on the volunteer board of directors. Those with medical backgrounds of any kind, but specifically dentistry or gynecology, are equally encouraged to connect.
Religious affiliation does not matter for patients or volunteers. The clinic’s nonprofit status is not faith-based and they are not affiliated with any church.
Upcoming fundraising events include Bingo Night at Urban Apples February 11, a golf outing in June and a bowling event in November. Bingo Night attendees can either purchase a table to sit with their group or buy tickets at the door.
Heart and Soul Free Clinic is located at 17338 Westfield Park Road, Suite 1 in Westfield. They can be contacted at 317-804-5782. Connect with them on Instagram @heartandsoulfreeclinic or on Facebook @heartandsoulclinic to hear about upcoming events and services.
