Help Provide Free Care
Your gift helps RAM provide free dental, vision, and medical services to people in need.
National Volunteer Week is April 20-26! This week is set aside to recognize the hard work and contributions of volunteers across the country.
It is no secret that Remote Area Medical (RAM®) would not be able to bring free, quality healthcare to those in need without our hard-working volunteers. In 2024, 16,313 volunteers worked with RAM, helping us serve 36,194 patients free dental, medical, and vision care.
That’s why we’re celebrating National Volunteer Week, to say thank you to all of our wonderful volunteers who have supported us over the years.
28.3% of people in the U.S. over the age of 16 formally volunteered in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. More than 75.7 million Americans had set aside their time to help in their communities.
No matter why you choose to volunteer, your efforts make a difference in the lives of those you serve. Not only does volunteering benefit your community, volunteering benefits you too!
Volunteering has lots of benefits, including:
- Improving physical and mental health [University of California San Diego (UCSD)]
- Volunteering reduces overall levels of stress, by interrupting normal, tension-filled patterns and improving overall mood.
- Strengthen your immune system with an improved mood from increased optimism and joy
- Volunteer work provides a sense of purpose
- “The work that volunteers provide is essential to everyday activities, giving volunteers a sense of purpose, especially when giving their time and talent in the areas they find meaningful. Older volunteers experience greater increases in life satisfaction and self-esteem,” according to the Mayo Clinic.
- Nurture new and existing relationships through volunteer work [Mayo Clinic]
- Volunteer work fosters a sense of community and creates an environment for social interactions. Working together toward a common goal is a great way to strengthen relationships and improve social skills.
- Volunteering at RAM Clinics is a great way to meet new, like-minded people who have the same goal — to bring free dental, vision, and medical care to those in need. Network with others in your profession at an upcoming RAM Clinic, connect with other volunteers in your field.
- Volunteers gain professional experience
- Volunteers learn new skills, skills that can be translated into a professional environment. It also gives an inside look into different careers, giving volunteers an opportunity to see if they are interested in the field [UCSD].
- Volunteering at RAM is great for students interested in joining the medical field, especially for those considering medical school or dental school. It’s a chance to see first-hand what these professionals do. Volunteering at RAM Clinics is also a great opportunity to experience working in different fields.
- Already in nursing, medical, dental, or optometry school? Volunteer at a RAM Clinic to gain hands-on clinical experience and use your skills to help underserved populations.
- Learn new skills through volunteer work
- Volunteering is a great way to learn a new skill you would not have otherwise learned. Discover your hidden talents through volunteer work.
- This is especially true when volunteering at RAM Clinics. Don’t know how to make glasses, sterilize dental equipment, or use optometry equipment? RAM’s trained experts teach our volunteers new skills before the clinic starts!
- Uplifting your community
- Volunteering is a great way to help support individuals in your local area. It is a great way to make a positive change in your community while helping to support underserved populations.
- You make a difference!
- Every person who volunteers positively impacts the lives of others in the community.
At RAM’s free clinics, our volunteers are directly impacting the lives of our patients. No matter how you help at a clinic, you are part of a team of people working to bridge the gap in healthcare coverage for tens of thousands of individuals. We appreciate each and every one of our volunteers and the hard work they have put into making sure our patients receive the best possible care.
Support This Story
Your gift helps RAM continue providing free care to people in need.
This National Volunteer Week, we want to say thank you to all of our volunteers for all of the work they put in to support our patients!
If you would like to learn about what volunteers do at RAM Clinics read our article A Volunteer Corps: The Vital Role of Volunteers at RAM.
Supporting RAM’s Mission Beyond National Volunteer Week —
Join us and make a difference right in your own community — volunteer with us at one of our upcoming clinics! To learn more click here, email us at [email protected], or call (865) 579-1530.
Can’t volunteer with us any time soon? That’s okay! You can still support our mission of bringing free dental, vision, and medical care to those in need by making a financial donation to RAM. We hope you consider becoming a monthly donor and help us continue providing care to individuals across the country.
Remember to follow RAM on social media! Keep up with all things RAM, from where we are going, to where we have been, to volunteer and patient stories, and much more.
Our blog is updated weekly, be sure to catch up on any stories you may have missed and come back next week to see what’s new.
Do you know someone who could benefit from RAM’s free dental, vision, and medical services? Be sure to send them our schedule so they can find the next RAM Clinic near them.
