mlk day and other work

At most jobs I've had, Martin Luther King, Jr., Day would be a free day off. On the East Coast, I would often find myself in Brooklyn for a long weekend with friends, or staying cozy and warm on a typically frigid day. Working for Rush though, is a different story and a day I now like "working" on very much.

Rush prides itself, since its beginning, in being involved in community engagement and outreach efforts. With our service area encompassing a number of low-income neighborhoods on Chicago’s West and South Sides, we focus on addressing and eliminating the health disparities in these communities. Rush is constantly working to dismantle barriers by assessing top health needs and addressing them through programs that target the biggest disparities.

On MLK Day, the Rush community was spread out across the city, from food pantries to handing out hygiene supplies under viaducts. I got to go to Facing Forward, a homeless shelter supporting women and children. Rush students were providing respiratory health screenings and I documented and interviewed some of the participants.

A portrait of Carol, West Side of Chicago

A video of highlights from the day:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/rushuniversitymedicalcenter/sets/72157675497637384

And, another recent project we finished on about the Rush Surplus Project: helping to feed homeless Chicagoans at a West Side shelter. We just found out that after so much positive feedback, views (over 31,000) and awareness, a local hotel has just donated new beds to the shelter! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ph5fMCRNyng