Remote Area Medical (RAM) a nonprofit provider of pop-up clinics delivering free, quality dental, vision and medical care to underserved and uninsured individuals—will be in Chattanooga Sept. 18 and 19 to provide free care.
To fulfill its goal of treating as many people as possible, RAM is still in need of licensed vision professionals to volunteer their time throughout the weekend, including optometrists, ophthalmologists, opticians and ophthalmic techs, as well as general support volunteers.
All RAM services are free and provided on a first-come, first-served basis.
No ID is required to receive care.
Services available at the clinic will include eye exams, glaucoma testing, eyeglass prescriptions and eyeglasses made on-site.
The two-day clinic, in collaboration with The Lions Club and Hope for the Inner City, will be held at Hope for the Inner City located at 1800 Roanoke Ave. in Chattanooga.
“Remote Area Medical is glad to be able to work with the local community to bring free vision services to those in need in the Chattanooga area,” said RAM CEO Jeff Eastman. “This has been a challenging time, and access to healthcare is more important than ever before. Thank you to all the volunteers and community members who are coming together to make this event possible.”
The patient parking lot will open no later than 12:01 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 18 and remain open. As patients arrive at the parking lot, they will be provided with additional information regarding clinic opening processes and next steps. Patients should be prepared with their own food, water, medicines and clothing, when arriving early. Bathrooms will be provided.
Clinic doors open at 6 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 18. This process will repeat on Sunday, Sept. 19.
RAM encourages everyone who would like services to arrive as early as possible. In some situations, such as inclement weather, volunteer cancellations or other circumstances outside of RAM’s control, the parking lot may open earlier or a smaller number of patients served. Clinic closing time may vary based on each service area’s daily capacity. Please check RAM’s clinic FAQ page for more information.
In response to COVID-19, RAM has incorporated and developed new disinfecting and safety processes. All patients will be required to wear a face covering and must undergo a COVID-19 screening before entering the clinic. Guests and family members of patients, including pets, will not be allowed to enter the building. New air flow, disinfecting processes and capacity limitations have also been put in place to ensure the safety of patients, staff and volunteers.
Since RAM’s founding in 1985, more than 863,000 individuals have received free services. Email RAM’s Volunteer Manager Mary Brown at marybrown@ramusa.org for more information about volunteering at this RAM pop-up clinic event. To learn more about RAM or to donate, visit www.ramusa.org or call 865-579-1530.