Note: The person identified as Dr. Carmen Washington in the above video is actually Dr. Carmen Johnson, founder and primary benefactor of the community-based The Tree of Life Clinic. NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — In the east end of Newport News, a patchwork of lives converges at the Tree of L ife Clinic. Newuit Washington Jr., 64, is a patient and client at The Tree of Life Clinic. The Newport News resident returned to society last year after spending 17 years behind bars. Here, he gets snacks, clothing, warm showers, medical checkups and a steady dose of TLC. "They've been a big help," Washington said. "You know, I have problems reading and stuff. They help me with [paperwork]." At the Tree of Life Clinic, those who have medical insurance use either Medicaid or have no health insurance. That's the case for 5-year-old Marlie Clayton's whose mother has a student visa. The spunky youngster who visited the clinic with her grandmother asked for rubber gloves because she wanted to look like a real doctor for today's routine examination. "So our target populations — the homeless, the underserved, the marginalized — the marginalized category can be really special because it's not what you really think," said Dr. Carmen Johnson, founder and primary benefactor of the community-based clinic. "Sometimes it's foster children, sometimes it's people who are international students and people who are on work visas, so people who do not have services just because they're not naturalized citizens. So we do see a lot of that in this specific community since it's a military community. At the nonprofit clinic that is staffed by volunteers, Johnson said Department of Government Efficiency cuts to healthcare are already underway. "Medicaid no longer pays for physicals and TB testing," said Johnson, who is under contract to assist children who are entering foster care, where the screening is mandatory. "So if their benefits are cut, especially foster children, they will have nowhere to go," Johnson said. On this night, Newuit Washington Jr. has nowhere to go. The church-based shelter he uses closed for the season Wednesday morning. The Tree of Life Center is preparing to serve more Newport News residents who are underserved. "Last night was the last night," Johnson said. "So most of the patients now are going to be displaced. They're not going to have a meal. They're not gonna have a place to shower, so we will see an influx of patients. "We need help with collaborations. We need help with partners. We need help from people to donate items. We need monetary donations. We need help to find the patients who need help, and the right patients. Sometimes people hear the word free and they run.And that kind of causes a lot of confusion. So if you're a social service agency, you have a patient in transition to your program. We want to see them and we want to help," said Dr. Johnson. If you need help, or you would like to help the Tree of Life Clinic, call Johnson at 757-317-4500. You can also check the clinic's website for more information. ...read more read less