帮助保持卫生

365英国上市官网 William Beaumont School of Medicine student organizations Harm Reduction Alliance 和 Street Medicine Oakl和 recently teamed up on a hygiene drive to collect items for local people in need.

The organizations sought items such as toothbrushes, 除臭, 肥皂, 护发素, 乳液, 湿巾, 和其他一般卫生用品.

Items were collected in OUWB’s 学生 Lounge, 和 given to Street Medicine Oakl和 for distribution to community members in need.

“Hygiene is one of the things that I think a lot of us take for granted,拉克什米·维里塔马尼说, M2, a member of the 极品 和 the community outreach chair for Street Medicine Oakl和.

“随着假期的临近, 随着天气越来越冷, we find that there are a lot of resources that people on the street need.”

Street Medicine Oakl和 aims to assist people currently unhoused 和 ensure that they receive adequate care. 大约每隔一周, the organization goes on outreach trips in the Pontiac area to offer resources, 食物和水, 和医疗.

极品 mainly focuses on reducing the stigma surrounding drug use 和 asking for assistance, but also aims to reduce harm in all ways of life.

Skylar Sundquist, M2, 人力资源管理局副总裁, said the hygiene drive is consistent with the organization’s goals.

“A large part of community health is being able to help those that are most vulnerable,” she said. “Providing hygiene kits to people who need it is such a good way to promote health 和 is often a huge barrier 和 huge risk factor when it comes to a lot of health concerns.”

而这只是大问题的一小部分, 康妮陈, M2, 总统, 极品, said she thinks that even something as small as a hygiene kit can make a difference in people’s lives.

“Being able to provide at least one thing off that list for someone, 这只是让他们觉得自己被看到了,陈说. “It’s like little steps…it’s easier to go one step at a time than to just go five steps at a time.”

不同的组织，相似的目标

The two organizations chose to collaborate due to the similarities in their goals.

“I think it’s important [that] harm reduction is seen as something that can take many forms. So anything from seat belts to promoting healthy behaviors or lifestyles,维里塔马尼说. “It’s just nice to be able to be an organization that promotes treating people with kindness 和 empathy while also promoting public health strategies.”

This isn’t the first time the two organizations have collaborated.

“去年, Harm Reduction Alliance 和 Street (Medicine Oakl和) collaborated on a clothing drive, which was held at a similar time of year as it got colder, to collect materials for people to stay warm with,陈说. “I think we really enjoy collaborating because we have very similar missions that are really focused on empowering people 和 just giving them resources that they would like to have.”

对于两组的成员, hosting the drive is a moment to learn about the importance of underst和ing what the backgrounds of their future patients may be.

“I think it’s really important for us as we go into our future careers as physicians to remember that everyone is coming from a unique context. Everyone has a different background, 和 everyone has different resources,” said Sundquist. “It’s just important to recognize that (while caring for patients), 和, 如果可能的话, connect people with community resources that can help empower them.”

“I’m very passionate about Street Medicine 和 just being able to meet people where they are,维里塔马尼说. “I think that being able to address the barriers that vulnerable individuals face will help promote larger health goals 和 advocate for people who don’t really have a voice.”

People who are interested in donating or volunteering with Street Medicine Oakl和 can email them at (电子邮件保护).