About

Our Mission

Since 2010, our primary mission has been to understand and serve the health and wellness needs of the uninsured, medically underserved population in Ocean County, NJ. We accomplish this by providing free primary health care through volunteer clinicians and support staff, following a “Culture of Caring” model.

Our Philosophy

The “Culture of Caring” is the heart and soul of our clinic. It is based on an ethical standard in medicine. We believe that how people are treated during a visit to the clinic is as important as the medical care they receive. We respect the diversity of our local population, regardless of race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, creed, disability status, employment status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, or any other status. We practice treatment with respect and dignity in a nurturing and non-judgmental environment.

Coastal Volunteers in Medicine (Coastal VIM) is a clinic that provides free, non-emergency primary medical services to uninsured and qualified residents of Ocean County and neighboring areas. Eligible persons must have no health insurance and have an annual income equal to or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level.

Coastal VIM is not a walk-in clinic or an emergency room. Pre-registration is required. Please call (609) 384-0102 to review your eligibility and to ensure that the services you require are available. You will then be able to make an in-person eligibility appointment to review your eligibility documents and schedule an appointment with one of our providers.
Tax-deductible contributions from community members fund and sustain our efforts. This includes cash donations from individuals, organizations, businesses, and corporations, foundation grants, as well as in-kind services and gifts. The clinic does not rely on any government funding.
- Primary and on-going care
- Physicals and health screenings
- Mental Health Counseling
- Adult Psychiatric Services for our current patients
- Women’s Care and Cervical and Breast Cancer Screenings through NJCEED
- Diabetes and other chronic disease management
- Diagnostic testing through Southern Ocean Medical Center
- Prescription Assistance Program
- Social service referrals
- Health Education
- Vision and Diabetic Eye Screenings through NJ Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired
- Free glasses
- Flu Vaccines

Staff

Lyndsay Hall, APN, WHNP-BC

Executive Director

Lyndsay became CVIM’s Executive Director on July 1, 2021. Lyndsay was a founding board member and treasurer for Coastal Volunteers in Medicine in 2010 and is now excited to be Executive Director of the clinic, which holds a very special place in her heart. Her career in nursing started at Ocean Medical Center but quickly transitioned to Emergency Nursing at Jersey Shore University Medical Center (JSUMC); from there, she transitioned to the PACU at JSUMC. She obtained her Masters of Science in Nursing for Women’s Health in 2016 from Rutgers University and worked as a Women’s Health NP/Midwife at several practices from 2017-2020. She greatly enjoys her work at CVIM and is honored to be part of such an amazing grassroots organization and witness firsthand the difference CVIM makes.
Veronica Arteaga

Clinical Site Manager
Veronica joined CVIM in June 2023 with great energy and the expectation of transferring her management knowledge to Coastal Volunteers in Medicine. She brings a warm, caring heart and a passion for helping others, which aligns perfectly with CVIM’s “Culture of Caring.”
In the past, she has managed dental offices; she is also a coach and trainer in the financial field, where she is active in helping families set their financial goals. She has experience on missionary trips to different countries, where she has helped volunteer doctors serve people who are less fortunate. Veronica is “more than honored to be part of this great vision. (Her) heart is joyful to know that the vision will expand and (she) will be part of this. We are in this world to impact lives and make a difference. Ask yourself how you can impact today”.
Sandy DiPisa, RN

Nurse Manager

Sandy joined CVIM as a volunteer in February 2017 and became an employee in September 2018. Her responsibilities include providing care and guidance to patients following their exams, providing instructions regarding medication, and scheduling follow-up appointments. In performing her duties, Sandy focuses on utilizing the most cost-effective methods in providing guidance and support for patients seeking medical assistance and advice.
Sandy earned her RN degree at Holy Name Hospital School of nursing and completed her BSN in 2006 from Stockton University and her MSN in 2011 from Monmouth University. She spent most of her career as a critical care nurse and then in nursing education at CentraState Medical Center, Jersey Shore Medical Center, Ocean County College and Monmouth University.
Sandy has always had a passion for nursing and for helping those less fortunate, which led her to CVIM. For many years, she has also volunteered on an annual medical mission to Guatemala with Faith in Practice.
Laura Meyer, RN

Volunteer Coordinator
Laura joined CVIM in October 2022. She attended St. Joseph’s University as an undergrad and continued on to Seton Hall University, where she received her Masters in Nursing. Laura began as a patient care technician at Ocean Medical Center before beginning her career in 2014 as a registered nurse at Monmouth Medical Center in the NICU. She has a strong passion for patient care and giving back to the community & is excited to be a part of the CVIM community!

Leadership

Jay Mann, BA, MA

Jay Mann was born in Pittsburgh, PA, but has resided on Long Beach Island since 1960. He has degrees in English and Science and has been a Barnegat Bayman (clamming) for over 30 years. He was the Owner/Partner of J&M Underwater Salvage, in Honolulu, throughout the 1970s and has treasure dove in many countries and surfed throughout the world.
He wrote for assorted Hawaii news and entertainment publications throughout the 1970s and part of the 1980s. He began staff writing for The SandPaper weekly publication, Long Beach Island, in 1987. He is currently managing editor since 1995. He has five decades of column writing experience in surfing, nature, entertainment, angling, health, and fitness.
He has also partnered with meteorologist Jim Eberwhine to create current seasonal rip current reports/forecasts for the National Weather Service. He is an environmentalist and ecologist dedicated to reporting on issues regarding the NJ Pinelands and Jersey Shore, including climate change, over-development, and the health of the marine environment.
He is a board member with Alliance for a Living Ocean, Long Beach Island Surf Fishing Classic, Coastal Volunteers in Medicine, and Eucharistic minister at St. Francis Parrish, since 1988.
Michele Morrison, MPH, BSHA, RN

Michele is President and Chief Hospital Executive of Southern Ocean Medical Center, Hackensack Meridian Health.
Anne Nachman

Anne Nachman grew up on Long Beach Island and attended local schools starting with the LBI grade school. She was actively involved in the community, beginning in Southern Regional High School and continuing through today. She currently serves as Secretary of the LBI Rotary Club, playing a key role in all of the fundraising events.
She previously served on the SOMC Foundation Board and on the SOMC Finance Committee (prior to the merger). She assisted with numerous SOMC fundraising events and served as Chairperson of their annual golf event for several years before it was discontinued. In addition, she has served on various Committees and Boards, including Jersey Shore Girl Scouts, Make-a-Wish, and Municipal Alliance.
Anne started working on LBI when she was in high school for a local surf shop (Freedom Surf Shop). She was a year-round employee from high school to her third year of law school. She made many local contacts as a young adult and still has many of them today as a partner at American Abstract Agency.
These contacts and her fundraising experience are helping Coastal Volunteers in Medicine grow in our community.
John Picarello

John is the brother of Larry Picarello, who served CVIM as its Board Chairperson until his sudden death due to the Coronavirus. John spent a 41-year career working with students and adults with developmental disabilities as a teacher aide, teacher Assistant Principal, and Principal. John also served as President of the Administrators Association and has volunteered in the community youth sports league, in hospice programs, food pantries, and soup kitchens. He is happy for the opportunity to help carry out CVIM’s extraordinary mission.
Bernard Pietrucha, Ph.D.

Bernie Pietrucha is an Associate Professor at Rowan University. He joined the College of Engineering in September 2001. Prior to joining Rowan, he served as a member of the adjunct faculty at New Jersey Institute of Technology for 16 years. He received his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering degree from the Newark College of Engineering (NJIT) in 1967 and a Master of Science (EE) in 1973. He received a Ph.D. degree from Rutgers University in 1986, specializing in semiconductor-based gas sensors. Dr. Pietrucha was employed by Lucent Technologies, Bell Laboratories, and Lucent’s predecessor, AT&T. He also worked at the RCA Solid State Division. Bernie is a member of the Beach Haven Park Yacht Club.
Sonia Rich-Mazzeo, DNP, APN,

Family Nurse Practitioner
Sonia spearheaded the creation of Coastal Volunteers in Medicine. She began her career in health volunteering at the public hospital, Hospital General Parmenio Piñero, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She lived in Argentina through its, hopefully last, seven-year-long military dictatorship. After graduating from high school, she moved back to the United States to go to college. She graduated summa cum laude with honors in the humanities, a major in history, and a minor in political science from William Paterson University. As an intern at the International Women’s Tribune Center, she learned to “think globally and act locally.” She realized she could not save the world, but she could help some of the people she met. She focused on health. First, she became an Emergency Medical Technician, and eventually a Family Nurse Practitioner, always with an eye out for the vulnerable sectors of the population from where she herself came. Before moving to Reno, Nevada in 2016, she worked full-time at Southern Ocean Medical Center’s Emergency Dept, and volunteered the rest of her time, to Coastal Volunteers in Medicine. She greatly misses interacting daily with Coastal VIM’s outstanding volunteers and cherishes the opportunity to continue serving on its Board of Trustees.
Rose G. Valentine

Rose has been a volunteer all her life, learning the importance of giving back from her parents. She graduated from the University of Bridgeport with a BA in Political Science and raised my family in Livingston, NJ, before retiring to LBI in 2001. Following college, she worked for management consultants, McKinsey & Co. in Manhattan in their business library. When her children were full-time in school, she began her career in non-profits with the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and was the Executive Director of the North Jersey Chapter until her retirement. Post-retirement, she worked part-time in the Holocaust Department of the Jewish Federation in Whippany, NJ, and has held many positions in volunteer organizations, including President of a local B’nai B’rith Women in North Jersey and President of the Jewish Community Center of LBI. While at her winter home in Bluffton, SC, she has been privileged to volunteer for several years as a greeter at the original VIM clinic on Hilton Head Island, SC.
Cecilia West MSN, RN, APN, CDE,

Advisory Committee - Nurse Practitioner
Cecilia West has been a nurse for more than 50 years and a nurse practitioner for more than 30 years. She was also certified as a diabetic educator and has taught at the local, state and national level about diabetes and how not to let this common condition take over your life. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and LaSalle University. It has been her great pleasure during her partial retirement to serve the underserved, uninsured individuals in Ocean County who come to Coastal Volunteers in Medicine for help.