My Service Learning Journal
Hearts for the Homeless Orlando is the local chapter for the non-profit organization Hearts for the Homeless International. The proposed mission of H4H is to contribute to the health and well-being of the homeless population through partnering with local food shares and health care clinics to provide free healthcare services and resources. Included in these services are blood pressure and EKG readings, mental health services, clothing/hygiene packages, vaccination efforts, health education workshops, and education on illness prevention and health maintenance. Thanks to its more than 1,000 student volunteers, Hearts for the Homeless has reached more than 30 cities within the U.S., Brazil, India, and Sri Lanka, and has performed more than 60,000 blood pressure screenings.
The Organization’s History:
The Orlando chapter of Hearts for the Homeless is a registered student organization at the University of Central Florida, but the main non-profit also has roots within the university. The idea for H4H was formed by three biomedical sciences students at UCF who noticed the health issues affecting the underserved population, specifically homeless individuals, in Orlando. The founders won a Social Venture Challenge hosted by the Clinton Global Initiative University in 2016 and were able to secure funding for their idea. It was this same year that H4H officially became a registered student organization at UCF.
My Why:
There are several reasons why I’ve decided to dedicate 40 hours this semester to serving with Hearts for the Homeless Orlando. For one, the organization was initiated by UCF students for the Orlando population, so my sense of community compels me to help improve the area in which I live. Additionally, I hope to become a physician one day, and am very passionate about the undeserved because I have family living in poverty in the Dominican Republic. The best way to aid the health of underserved communities is through preventative measures and educational/informative resources. Hearts for the Homeless Orlando offers many screening opportunities for homeless individuals as well as educational workshops which aligns with my values of prevention and education.
My Insight
