Health care professionals and volunteers will give free dental, vision and medical care at a medical clinic at Bald Eagle Area Middle and High School in Bellefonte on March 28 and 29.
Remote Area Medical, or RAM, is a nonprofit that holds free mobile medical clinics throughout the United States. The Penn State RAM chapter coordinated with the organization to bring the clinic to Bellefonte for the second year in a row.
Clinic coordinator Sandra Hall said RAM’s work is more important than ever with increased barriers to affordable health care.
“Some are uninsured, and some even if they have insurance, the co-pays or costs that they might incur outside of what insurance covers is prohibitive to the care that they need," Hall said.
RAM does not ask for any identification or insurance cards, but services are first come, first served.
Hall said many people even line up and camp their cars the night before a clinic, showing how important RAM is to the communities it serves.
“Every clinic has its own stories, and it’s very rewarding to see the difference that we can make in lives in just a short amount of time," Hall said.
Parking lots will open by midnight the night before, and clinic doors usually open by 6 a.m.
Hall said RAM is also looking for volunteers. More information can be found on the RAM website.