Our Origin

The Buddhist Tzu Chi Free Clinic opened in November 1, 1993. Using the basic model of the SOS Free Clinic of Orange County, California, the Free Clinic was created to meet the immediate needs of people who were experiencing problems with medical health.

The Free Clinic offers general medical care, alternative medicine care and acupuncture, and dental care that included general check up, dental hygiene, extraction and filling. Free Clinic also provides free immunization and back to school physical examinations for children under seventeen.

The Free Clinic provides referral services to patients who need further medical care. We collaborate with nearby hospitals and for their support so that we may help the needy to receive care for more severe illness.

The clinic used a volunteer driven model with all services offered with certain eligibility requirements and free of charge to all patients.

The administrative hours of the Free Clinic are Tuesday to Saturday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The clinical service hours are Tuesday to Saturday 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM and 1:00 PM-5: 00PM.

Established in a large one-story building in the midst of the community, the Free Clinic began to gain community recognition and accidence in its earliest years. By 2003, the Free Clinic will grow beyond the capacity of the building and how to evaluate the future trend will be our main focus.

Today, the Buddhist Tzu Chi Free Clinic has grown to serve over 12,500 patients on an annual basis, representing over 85,000 patient visits. Our operating budget has grown to $870,000 with 130% privately raised from the local community. As the evolution in health care delivery has continued, the Free Clinic is planning to expand the capacity to meet growing demands. The volunteer base has been broadened in all areas, allowing the Free Clinic to accommodate the growth with minimal growth in operating costs. Creativity abounds in all service areas, focusing on enhancing quality and minimizing cost. The Buddhist Tzu Chi Free Clinic has become a key element in the community health care system and expects to play an important role as challenges in the health care service delivery emerges.