UConn’s student run medical clinic introduces a new resource hallway for patients on its second annual pop-up on March 8-9.
“This year, we’re proud to have a new resource hallway, mainly funded by the UConn Co-Op Change Grant I won last fall from the Office of Undergraduate Research,” President Cameron Costa said. “Alongside free medical services, they’ll have the opportunity to choose from an assortment of free diapers, baby food, general hygiene items, women’s menstrual products, educational resources, non-perishable foods, fresh fruit and so much more.”
Costa is a third-year neurobiology and physiology major who organized this year’s pop-up alongside founder Brooke DiVasto, a recent UConn graduate.
The clinic’s first pop-up took place last March and worked with nonprofit partner Remote Area Medical (RAM) at Windham Middle School in Willimantic, Conn.
Last year’s attendance included 400 volunteers who provided services to more than 200 patients; these volunteers administered $150,000 in free medical, dental and vision services to patients.
Treasurer and 501(c)(3) Transition Lead Nathal Nagel, a finance and economics major, took the lead on putting the clinic in a strong financial state to ensure the new patient resources would be available.
“This year, we are in a much better financial position due to generous donations from local businesses, restaurants, grants and foundations,” Nagel said. “It’s been really encouraging to see the community gather behind our efforts, whether through donations, volunteer support, or simply spreading the word to ensure those in need know about the clinic!”
This was not the only issue the group has overcome within the past year.
“One challenge we faced last year was distributing flyers to Willimantic and the surrounding area,” Vice-President and Promotions Committee Lead Sarah Courtney said. “Last year, I drove to 15-20 places in Willimantic to drop off flyers and it was difficult to do much more than that with busy classes and not having access to a car.”
Courtney created the Advertising Ambassador Committee to spread information about the clinic to more towns in Connecticut. This committee consisted of 10 UConn undergraduate students who delivered flyers to more than 200 businesses across 12 neighboring towns.
In 2024, the group received a large donation of bananas from a local grocery store for patients to take with them after their treatments.
“I was so overjoyed to see the smile on patients’ faces when they picked up their [banana] bundle, knowing that there was a chance they may not have been able to afford this from the grocery store,” Courtney said. “For this upcoming clinic in March 2025, I knew I wanted to expand this healthy food initiative to provide a larger variety of healthy food options to patients. With the help of a grant, we are providing $4,000 worth of free essentials including assorted healthy fruit, electrolytes, snacks, nuts, protein shakes and more!”
Courtney recalled another interaction between a community member receiving treatments from the clinic.
“One of the most memorable moments from last year was calling patients after the clinic to inform them of follow-up care options,” Courtney said. “One woman broke down in tears, expressing deep gratitude for the free care she received. That moment reaffirmed that all the months of planning and hard work were well worth it.”
The student organizers have reflected on their efforts from the previous year and have been looking forward to serving more individuals at this year’s pop-up.
“I’m most looking forward to seeing the tangible impact we can make on people’s lives,” Nagel said. “The months leading up to the clinic can be very hectic and stressful, but it is always worth it to see how much it means to the people we serve.”
The clinic will be hosted at Windham Middle School on both days of operation.
The parking lot at Windham Middle School will be open at midnight on March 8 and the doors to the clinic will open at 6 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.
No form of identification will be required or collected and services will be provided on a first come, first serve basis.
