Partner Profile: Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center

Volunteers across the nation are seeking ways to make a positive impact on their communities. Dorothy Main is among them.

At age 95, Dorothy has found a way to stay connected to the community and help others as a volunteer with Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center. Dorothy discovered the volunteer project at Virginia Garcia while reading the newspaper. Called “Knit for Newborns,” the project is one of dozens that Hands On Greater Portland organizes in the greater Portland area each month in partnership with nonprofits such as Virginia Garcia.

Dorothy makes baby blankets and donates them to the Maternity Care program at Virginia Garcia. For Dorothy, knitting has become a new hobby to keep her busy and support a good cause. Dorothy has taken care of many young ones throughout her life, including a premature grandchild that needed a lot of extra care. Dorothy reflects on those times, saying she knows “how much it means for a baby to have tender care during the first part of their lives. Extra support from those around them can really make a difference.”

Virgina Garcia has an ongoing need for volunteers. “Volunteers help with every aspect of the clinic, helping us do more with less and maintain the highest quality services for our patients,” says Britt Rosenberg, Virgina Garcia’s Assistant Development Officer.

If you enjoy knitting and want to meet like-minded people in your community, like Dorothy, consider joining Hands On Greater Portland’s “Knit for Newborns” projects. Volunteers are also needed as committee members for Virginia Garcia Connect. In this role, volunteers advocate for healthcare for underserved populations and take other actions to promote the work of Virginia Garcia.

Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center was developed in 1975 in response to the death of a young daughter of Oregon farmworker parents who could not receive sufficient health care for a wound. The center was a collaborative effort from the community, headed by Centro Cultural and St. Vincent Hospital to provide high quality, comprehensive and culturally appropriate primary healthcare. Since the opening, the center has continued to grow now serving throughout Washington and Yamhill Counties in both their local health centers and outreach programs directly into the migrant camps.