What We Do
Who We Are
The Suitcase Clinic is a humanitarian student organization and volunteer community that offers free health and social services to underserved populations. Structured around the principles of public health, social welfare, and community activism, it currently operates three weekly multi-service drop-in centers in the city of Berkeley: the General Clinic, the Womxn’s Clinic and the Youth/LGBTQ+ Clinic. In addition to providing services, it strives to educate students, engage in community organization, and support public policy efforts that address homelessness in the local community. We are a group of volunteers, mainly composed of undergraduate students, in a cooperative relationship with the community to serve as advocates for the locally underserved population. We aim to provide continuous aid through health and social services to the homeless and low-income groups, regardless of their ability to pay.
What We Do
Our volunteers provide weekly services such as haircutting, footwashing, wellness activities, and more while outside partners provide professional services such as medical, psychiatry, and chiropractic. We strive to advocate for public policies that address long-term concerns for clients in addition to immediate needs. We provide assistance regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or lifestyle, not discriminating against anybody in need and recognize that health and well-being affect the spectrum of life. Our unique position as undergraduates allows us to spark important dialogue regarding homelessness to the campus community. ​ Through constant reevaluation and effort to benefit homeless individuals in any way that we, as a group of volunteers, are able, we hope to maintain our mission to build community and make a long-term difference that empowers people in our local community.