Improving lives and health in underserved communities throughout the Philadelphia area is among our highest priorities.
Medical Students Treat Homeless of West Philadelphia
Incorporated in 1987, University City Hospitality Coalition (UCHC) provides hot meals five nights a week and sandwiches on Saturday for poor and homeless individuals in West Philadelphia. On Wednesdays, a medical clinic staffed by a doctor and medical students from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania delivers critically needed care, including blood pressure screenings, vaccinations, and general examinations, that may otherwise be unavailable to this population. Visit https://www.uchcphiladelphia.org/ for more information. UCHC recently received a Penn Medicine CAREs grant to purchase medication and blood sugar screening devices and supplies for the diabetic patients that come to the clinic for care.
Every day, our physicians, nurses, medical students and volunteers share their knowledge, skills, and themselves to benefit the community. Some of their activities include free health clinics and screenings, disease prevention and treatment education, support groups for patients and their families and health care career development.
Penn Medicine faculty, staff and students throughout the organization donate their time and expertise to provide countless hours of work to improve the health and well-being of the communities we serve. The Penn Medicine CAREs Grant program was established to offer institutional support to these individuals and programs in the form of grants — awarded quarterly — that can be used for the purchase of supplies and other resources needed to perform this important work in the community.
Take a look at a listing of projects most recently funded by the CAREs grant.
Charity Care and Community Outreach
We are committed to caring for all patients equitably, with dignity, respect and compassion. As part of this commitment, we offer financial counseling and assistance programs to uninsured and under-insured patients to assist those who cannot pay for their care.
Learn more about charity care and the requirements for qualification.
Additionally, visit our Community Outreach Blog to read stories about the impact of employees and students' work on the community.
For any questions about our community outreach efforts or the Penn Medicine CAREs initiative, please contact the Office of Government and Community Relations at 215-662-7030 or email CAREs@uphs.upenn.edu.
In This Section
Learn about the ways in which Penn Medicine is helping the community through outreach programs, volunteerism and charity care.
View some of the community programs in which Penn staff, faculty, and students participate and make a difference.
Penn Medicine employees and students are invited to browse and register for upcoming community outreach opportunities. Outreach materials can be made available, if needed.
Request Penn Medicine's participation in community events, such as neighborhood health fairs, speaker forums or school functions.
Meet some of the people from Penn Medicine who are changing our communities through service.
Browse Penn Medicine's community reports, including CAREs Grant, Simply Because, Facts and Figures, Economic Impact, and the Community Health Needs Assessment.
The Office of Government and Community Relations supports Penn Medicine's goal of advancing science through research, providing outstanding patient care and community service, and educating future leaders in medicine.