[INSPRATIONAL MUSIC STING] - Hi, everyone, Steve Adubato.

We kick off the program.

For the first time, she's joining us.

It won't be the last time.

She's Jacqueline Meiluta and she's the executive director of an organization called Volunteers in Medicine of Cape May County.

Good to see you, Jacqueline.

- Thank you.

Thank you for having me.

- Yeah, describe the organization.

- So Volunteers in Medicine is a free clinic for the uninsured.

We're staffed largely by credentialed volunteers.

So all of our doctors, our nurses, our administrative people are all volunteers.

They freely give of their time to take care of their neighbors in need.

- Who's in need in Cape May County?

Describe the folks who are most vulnerable.

- Yeah, so Cape May County has beautiful coastline, fabulous second homes, but not a lot of year-round work.

So most of the jobs down here are tourist-based and seasonal.

So our patients work crazy hours during the summer and either not at all or just weekends during the winter.

So our economy is certainly the haves and the have-nots here in Cape May County, particularly in the winter.

- Let's talk about some of the healthcare changes in our country.

There are changes in federal policy as it relates to Medicaid eligibility.

From a very practical, relatable perspective, help us understand what that means for the people you serve every day in Cape May County.

- So our patients are the working poor.

They don't have insurance.

10 years ago before the Affordable Care Act, we had a different patient base, but all of those patients will probably lose their Medicaid or their tax incentives through the Affordable Care Act.

- Why?

- So come January, thank you to the Big Beautiful Bill, there's gonna be a lot of people in New Jersey that will be either uninsured... (throat clears) excuse me, or underinsured, and they will rely on safety nets like Volunteers in Medicine for care.

- Do you have the resources to serve those folks with their healthcare needs?

- So we have a patient panel currently of about 600 families.

All of our doctors are volunteers and they're pretty much at full capacity.

We're worried.

Many of our doctors will step up and see a few more patients, but we will always need more doctors, more nurses, and then of course, unfortunately more money.

Yeah.

- Well, talk about money.

We are a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that does not seek government grants, that we don't have a line item appropriation in the state budget.

And my understanding is your support is purely philanthropic as well, correct?

- 100% philanthropic.

No state or federal money.

We do get a grant from the County of Cape May.

We have a lovely grant from Horizon Foundation and from the Community Health Connections Foundation, but there's not many large businesses in Cape May County.

In fact, there's no large businesses in Cape May County.

So it's all grassroots individuals.

We operate two thrift stores to provide a reliable source of income, but it's a constant struggle to raise the funds we need to keep the doors open.

- Jacqueline, I know how I got into this business.

How'd you get into yours?

- I don't know.

(laughs) - Come on.

No, seriously, how- - Yeah, no, I'm- - There must be some passion- - This is sort of my retirement gig.

- What?

(Jacqueline laughs) - I just wanted to use my skills that I had acquired in working for big business.

I worked for a Fortune 100 company.

My husband and I wanted to retire to the beach town that I grew up in and I saw a need.

And VIM is the best job I ever had.

So... - So this is your retirement and you are looking to bring in more money to manage a budget.

Go back to the budget again.

And lemme disclose, you mentioned Horizon.

The foundation has been a big supporter of public broadcasting as well.

That Horizon grant, as I understand it, is it a new obesity program that it supports?

- It is.

So the fabulous new drugs, the Ozempics and Wegovies, are way too expensive if you don't have insurance.

So probably even if you have insurance.

Our patients will never have access to those drugs.

But lifestyle, although it's so much harder than taking a pill, can show promise.

So we're doing a lot of classes.

We're doing a lot of education, a lot of coaching, anything we can do to help our patients understand the relationship between behavior choices and their chronic disease, whether it's obesity, but also diabetes, hypertension, - That's what that program is.

- Yes.

- Go on the website, folks.

It'll be up right now.

Find a way to be helpful.

The information's on the website for an organization down in Cape May.

It is called Volunteers in Medicine of Cape May.

Jacqueline, I wanna thank you so much for joining us.

We appreciate it.

- Thank you for all you do for New Jersey to bring light to issues like this.

Thank you.

- Our job is easy, your job is really hard.

Stay with us, we'll be right back.

- [Narrator] State of Affairs with Steve Adubato is a production of the Caucus Educational Corporation.

Funding has been provided by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

Congress Hall.

A Cape Resorts property.

Atlantic Health System.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Community FoodBank of New Jersey.

The New Jersey Education Association.

NJ Best, New Jersey’s five-two-nine college savings plan.

The Fidelco Group.

And by New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program.

Promotional support provided by NJBIZ.

And by Meadowlands Media.

- (Narrator) This holiday season, the Community Food Bank of New Jersey the state's largest anti-hunger, anti-poverty organization, together with the hundreds of food pantries, soup kitchens and nutrition programs it serves is calling on all of us to unite.

Unite to end hunger.

Together we can make the holidays brighter for our New Jersey neighbors in need and help build a food secure future for our state.

New Jersey, now is the time.

Unite to end hunger.