Help Provide Free Care
Your gift helps RAM provide free dental, vision, and medical services to people in need.
April is National Volunteer Month, a month to recognize the important work that volunteers do and raise awareness about volunteerism. Remote Area Medical (RAM®) would not be able to operate without the support of every one of our volunteers. Whether you have been volunteering for RAM for years, you are a CORE Volunteer, or, like Lora Noble, you are a first-time volunteer, you are making a difference in the lives of our patients.
Noble is a licensed practical nurse, currently taking classes to become a registered nurse. She had not heard of RAM before volunteering. One of her professors presented it to her students as an opportunity to gain additional, hands-on experience outside of the classroom. She and other students in the class volunteered their time in triage during the RAM’s free clinic in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
“My instructor, Dr. Cheek, is what led me to volunteer here, for experience . . . She’d always wanted to do one [a RAM Clinic] and she offered it to the class and a good handful of us volunteered,” Noble said.
First-Time Volunteer Seeing RAM’s Impact First-Hand —
Noble worked to triage patients as they entered the clinic. She was conducting blood sugar checks and checking patients’ blood pressure. She took this opportunity to educate patients on the importance of maintaining healthy blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
Once she saw the difference RAM was making in the community, she knew this was something she wanted to continue. She and her professor had already looked at our schedule to see when they could volunteer with RAM again.
Throughout each year and across the country, RAM brings free, quality dental, vision, and medical care to those in need. Noble stressed the importance of getting the word out about RAM. She hoped potential patients knew RAM is a resource that is available to them.
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Your gift helps RAM continue providing free care to people in need.
“I feel like it’s just a really great program to help people, you know, get care that they may not have access to . . .,” said Noble “. . . I feel like the word needs to get out there and people need to know how wonderful this program is. . . Those who need it should take advantage of it.”
Returning to Continue Making an Impact —
Noble plans to return in the future, she encouraged other medical professionals to get out into their communities and volunteer to help others. Noble and Dr. Cheek were two of the more than 4,100 volunteers who have worked with RAM in 2025 to serve more than 7,400 patients. Our volunteers are at the core of what we do and who we are, we would not be able to serve patients without their time, skills, and dedication to serving our mission.
“. . . It’s good to get out there and help the community and give back to people who may be less fortunate than yourself, but especially those of us who are medical professionals . . .” Noble said.
Read more about what volunteers do at RAM and how volunteers are such a critical part of our mission.
Volunteer with us! Whether you volunteer at headquarters or at one of our free clinics, there is a place for you with RAM. If you are a first-time volunteer, like Lora, we can’t wait to meet you. Learn more about volunteering and sign up at www.ramusa.org/volunteer/!
Want to hear from other volunteers at this clinic? Meet pre-dental student Patricia, and dentist Dr. Simon, who heard about RAM for the first time this year.
Supporting RAM —
Looking for another way to support RAM’s mission? RAM is able to serve our patients thanks to private donations from people like you. We hope you will become a monthly donor with us! Your support helps us to provide free dental, vision, and medical care to tens of thousands of patients annually. To donate visit www.ramusa.org/donate
If you are not already, be sure to follow RAM on social media.
To hear more stories from RAM Volunteers, patients, and more be sure to check out our weekly blog posts.
Lastly, RAM’s first-ever telethon, Living the Giving, is on July 29, 2025 from 2-10 P.M. You won’t want to miss this event. We have lots of prize drawings, exclusive content, live interviews, and more!
