Volunteer Medical Clinic At Alexandria Homeless Shelter Honored

ALEXANDRIA, VA—The volunteer medical clinic at Alexandria's homeless shelter has been awarded the city's 2019 Flora Krause Casey Public Health Award. The Alexandria Health Department and Public Health Advisory Commission give out the award to an individual or group "who has made a significant impact on public health and well-being within the City of Alexandria."

Dr. Laurence Clark and a volunteer medical team run the free medical clinic for residents of Carpenter's Shelter and other uninsured homeless people. The team volunteers one evening a week to run the program, providing physical exams, lab work, medical education, prescription medications and flu vaccines. The clinic recently added women’s wellness exams to its services.

Volunteers are licensed, practicing nursing professionals who work at Georgetown Hospital, the VA Hospital, or within the Inova Health Care System. In 2018, the clinic had 315 appointments.

As well as treating patients from Carpenter's Shelter, the clinic takes referrals from Alexandria Community Shelter, Alexandria Recovery and Treatment Center, Lazarus Ministry at Christ Church, St. Paul’s Outreach Ministry and other places.

The clinic's work mirrors that of the award's namesake, Flora Krause Casey. Casey was an advocate for the health of disadvantaged people who ran a Kiwanis Club clinic that provided pre-camp physical exams in the late 1930s. After two years, Casey worked to expand the clinic so poorer families could access more comprehensive services.

By working to improve homeless residents' physical health, the clinic bolsters Carpenter's Shelter goal: to help homeless men, women and children find and maintain permanent housing.

City agencies and Carpenter's Shelter will hold a public reception at the shelter on Thursday, July 11 from 5 p.m.-6:30 p.m. The shelter is temporarily located at 5701-D Duke Street in Landmark Mall, as its permanent home is being rebuilt.