The UAB Department of Surgery Access and Engagement Committee hosted Operation CARE, a new community outreach initiative focused on serving Birmingham’s unhoused population, on December 13 at Railroad Park downtown. The event brought together UAB faculty, staff, trainees and community partners to provide meals, coats, haircuts and health resources in a welcoming and accessible setting.
Operation CARE (Community Action and Relationship Engagement) was developed as an educational and preventive health effort aimed at addressing barriers to care faced by individuals experiencing housing insecurity. Throughout the three-hour event, attendees had the opportunity to engage with healthcare professionals, receive health screenings, and access practical information focused on wellness and disease prevention.
“Operation CARE was created to meet a critical need in our community by providing health education and support to the local unhoused population,” said Saulat Sheikh, M.B.B.S., the associate vice chair of the Access and Engagement Committee. “By bringing care directly to the community, we are able to reach individuals who may otherwise face significant obstacles to accessing health services.”
A key component of the event was a nutrition-focused outreach. Volunteers served over 80 meals, catered by 1918 Catering. CHOP, a medical student-run group, provided a cooking demonstration, nutritional counseling, and practical advice focused on affordable, accessible food options, reinforcing the role of nutrition in overall health.
Additionally, 150 coats, donated by members of the department, were distributed to community members during the event, helping address immediate seasonal needs.
Equal Access Birmingham, a UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine student-run free clinic for those who are uninsured and underserved in the greater Birmingham area, triaged and scheduled patients for clinic appointments.
Community partner The Just People Project was instrumental in the success of the event by providing transportation for attendees and distributing meals and coats across the city following the event.
The event was staffed by 77 UAB volunteers, representing the Department of Surgery, Heersink School of Medicine, and many other UAB departments and units. Volunteers supported event operations, gave haircuts, served meals, distributed coats and socks, and answered general health questions.
“While this marked the department’s inaugural event of its kind, it represents a continuation of a deeply rooted commitment to service within our community. Collaboration and partnership are foundational to our work, and we will intentionally cultivate and expand these relationships,” said Tania Arora, M.D., the vice chair of the Access and Engagement Committee. “Our enduring commitment to serving all patients in Birmingham and throughout Alabama will remain central to our vision for future efforts.”