WVU-Eastern Homeless Outreach
A sister organization of the WVU School of Medicine Eastern Division designed for homeless outreach that will connect the homeless population with essentials, resources and basic medical care.
Stepping Stones is modeled after MUSHROOM (Multidisciplinary UnSheltered Homeless Relief Outreach Of Morgantown), an instrumental program in bringing together students and professionals of different backgrounds to “reach out to those most marginalized from society.”
Mission Statement
Stepping Stones is an outreach program serving the homeless population of the greater Martinsburg area with a multidisciplinary healthcare approach. Teams composed of physicians, nurses, medical students, and social workers will set out on foot to reach these marginalized members of society and provide them with food, clothes, and basic medical interventions.
Goals
A team of providers will make “house calls” to patients that have established communities along rivers, under bridges, in shelters, and tent villages, bridging the gap between the needs of special populations and the resources available to them. We strive to make sure that all members of society have access to basic medical care and are treated with the dignity and respect every human deserves. By establishing direct lines of communication between existing local charities, we plan to maximize the efficacy of each.
- Establish Connection with the Homeless population and implement Stepping Stones into the community
- Leaders and volunteers will regularly attend activities at:
- Immanuel’s House
- Good Samaritan Free Clinic
- Facilitate the provision of basic medical needs and preventive health measures (such as flu shots)
- Aid this at-risk population to gain access to medical care, to achieve an reduction in Emergency Room visits
- Multidisciplinary Incorporation of local resources
- Creation of a Resource Sheet for all volunteers to utilize
- Secure Funding and donations to continue this program
- Implement yearly Health Fair at Immanuel’s house
- Track progress and impact of Stepping Stones on the target population.
“The only difference between stumbling blocks and stepping stones is the way in which we use them”
- American Proverb