Nonprofit gives homeless people free doctor’s check ups, legal advice and more

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AN ATTORNEY WHO HAS OPENED UP A NON- PROFIT IN CHINATOWN TO HELP.# <ç8905,32:13-32:21Ñ <HE KNOWS WHERE WE’VE BEEN, HE’S BEEN THERE HIMSELF. AND HE HAS THE CONNECTION.> DAVID BALCH ISN’T A SUIT AND TIE ATTORNEY. <I WAS HELPING OUT AT VICTORY THREE MISSION, AND THEN I WOULD DO SOME FEEDINGS AT DOROTHY’S KITCHEN A COUPLE OF TIMES A YEAR WITH MY YOUTH GROUP> EVERY DAY HE HANGS OUT WITH PEOPLE LIVING ON THE STREETS, AND WORKS OUT OF A SMALL OFFICE LINED WITH SYMBOLS OF FAITH IN CHINATOWN. <A LOT OF THEM CALL ME PASTOR. AND WHICH IS FUNNY, SOME CATHOLIC. I’M NOT A PASTOR.> BALCH RUNS “CLOSER WALK”, A VOLUNTEER- RUN NON PROFIT BY THE CITY’S LARGEST HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT. <SO MUCH OF OUTREACH IS TRANSACTIONAL. HERE’S A JACKET. THANK YOU. AND YOU LEAVE. BUT DO WE KNOW THEIR NAMES? WE KNOW THEIR STORIES, THEIR PAINS.> HIS OFFICE IS A PLACE THAT PEOPLE STOP BY REGULARLY FOR FOOD, CLOTHING , EVEN DOCTORS VISITS AND OCCASIONAL LEGAL ADVICE… <I ACTUALLY WAS GOING THROUGH SOME PERSONAL THINGS OF MY OWN AND I WAS HAPPY TO JUST SIT IN FRONT OF HIS CHURCH AND I’VE BEEN A FRIEND WITH HIM EVER SINCE.> <HE ACKNOWLEDGES THEM ONE ON ONE AS A PERSON, NOT JUST AS SOMEONE LIKE OH I’M JUST GIVING THEM RESOURCES> BALCH CO-FOUNDED THE NONPROFIT AT THE START OF THE PANDEMIC WITH HIS WIFE, AFTER A FULL- TIME CAREER IN CORPORATE LAW AND A SUCCESSFUL FIGHT AGAINST CANCER JUST A YEAR BEFORE. IT’S A PASSION PROJECT THE BALCH’S HAVE INVESTED A LOT OF TIME, MONEY AND HEART INTO. <YOU KNOW, GROWING UP, I WAS ALWAYS I ALWAYS FELT LIKE I WAS A MISFIT AND I BECAME SORT OF KING OF THE MISFITS. AND FOR SOME REASON, IN MY HEART, THERE’S JUST A DEEP LOVE FOR PEOPLE WHO FEEL OUTSIDE THE SYSTEM.> RIGHT NOW HIS TEAM CONSISTS OF 10 REGULAR VOLUNTEERS, INCLUDING 2 THERAPISTS AND 2 DOCTORS — ALL PRO- BONO, BUT HOPES TO GROW EVEN FURTHER WITH SIGHTS SET ON A REGULAR FREE LEGAL CLINI

Located in Salinas’ Chinatown, Monterey County’s largest homeless encampment, is Closer Walk, a volunteer-run nonprofit that provides free resources including doctor’s check ups and legal advice. The nonprofit was co-founded by David Balch at the start of the pandemic with his wife, after a full-time career in corporate law and a successful fight against cancer just a year before. “You know, growing up, I always felt like I was a misfit and I became sort of king of the misfits. And for some reason, in my heart, there’s just a deep love for people who feel outside the system,” Balch said. Right now, Balch’s team consists of 10 regular volunteers, including two therapists and two doctors, one of which is his wife, Christa Balch, a board certified Family Practice doctor and addiction specialist.”So much of outreach is transactional. Here’s a jacket, thank you and you leave. But do we know their names? Do we know their stories, their pains?” David Balch said. The Balchs hope to grow Closer Walk with a regular free legal clinic, addiction help and expanded medical services.

SALINAS, Calif. —

The nonprofit was co-founded by David Balch at the start of the pandemic with his wife, after a full-time career in corporate law and a successful fight against cancer just a year before.

“You know, growing up, I always felt like I was a misfit and I became sort of king of the misfits. And for some reason, in my heart, there’s just a deep love for people who feel outside the system,” Balch said.

Right now, Balch’s team consists of 10 regular volunteers, including two therapists and two doctors, one of which is his wife, Christa Balch, a board certified Family Practice doctor and addiction specialist.

“So much of outreach is transactional. Here’s a jacket, thank you and you leave. But do we know their names? Do we know their stories, their pains?” David Balch said.

The Balchs hope to grow Closer Walk with a regular free legal clinic, addiction help and expanded medical services.

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