Serving our community

This week was National Volunteer Week, and it has me thinking about opportunities to give back and serve the Birmingham community. Serving others is a critical focus for me in both my role as a leader in the School of Medicine and as a husband and father. It’s one of the core values I strive for each day.

When I was in medical school and during my residency, I had the opportunity to reach out to individuals in shelters. I was able to find similar service opportunities when I served as a faculty member here at UAB and after moving to Minnesota. Since returning to Birmingham in October 2013, my family and I have had the chance to serve both in our church and Birmingham City Schools by supplying backpacks filled with healthy, non-perishable foods to children who often depend on school as their only true source of daily nutrition.

Late last year, my staff organized the Dean’s Office’s first Season of Service, a way for each staff member to donate their time or resources in a meaningful way during the holiday season. They collected toys for children at the Ronald McDonald House, served a meal their donations provided at First Light and purchased clothing and other items needed at Jessie’s Place. This gave us the chance to engage with the community and a way to connect with each other outside the office. This initiative is something we’ll continue to do on a quarterly basis.

This is just one example of the great work faculty, staff and students are doing in their communities. I’d like to highlight the great service work being done by those in the School of Medicine, to not only share the commitment to their communities, but also to inspire others within our organization. If you have a community service story or an opportunity you’d like the share, contact our Office of Communications at somcomm@uab.edu.

One easy and meaningful way to give back to Birmingham is through support of the UAB Benevolent Fund, an employee-governed organization that supports more than 120 charitable and health organizations. The $1.9 million contributed by UAB employees last year has had an enormous impact by:

• providing 19,809 people with urgently needed shelter
•  giving 101,902 people access to preventive care
•  providing 25,336 people with counseling services
• delivering educational support to 75,507 children
• offering crisis financial support to 114 UAB employees through the Employee Emergency Assistance Program

The Benevolent Fund also offers ways for individuals to get directly involved through volunteer projects. Employee volunteers recently worked with the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama in preparing 177 grocery boxes—a total of 4,700 meals—to be distributed by the Mobile pantry program and packed 954 food-filled backpacks for the Weekenders Backpack Program. Employees and students across UAB’s campus also came together this fall to help build UAB’s first Habitat House.

I would encourage each of you to reach out to serve those who are in need and less fortunate. Our goal is to not only have an impact first in Birmingham and Alabama, but also to our country and globally, through our efforts of giving back and supporting others.