On October 31, Healing the Children Texas (HTCTX) and the University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine (UIWSOM), in partnership with the San Antonio Food Bank and Outreach Medicine, hosted the first food distribution and vaccine drive at the School of Osteopathic Medicine.
The initiative was organized by the HTCTX Student Organization, a group of UIWSOM medical students dedicated to community service. Committee members who helped lead the effort included Justin Lamontagne, Gabrielle Nguyen, Nethra Giri, Golnoosh Ronasi, Larissa Garza, Layan Ali-Hasan and Genesis Villareal. The event was designed to address local challenges related to food insecurity while expanding access to preventive healthcare services.
Through the collaborative effort, nearly 12,000 pounds of food were distributed to 132 families benefiting 653 individuals that included 219 children, 312 adults and 122 seniors. In addition, 36 families receiving assistance were first-time participants in San Antonio Food Bank programs, creating new connections to ongoing community resources and support services.
Healthcare access was also a central focus of the event. A total of 50 influenza vaccinations were administered, including 35 adult and 15 pediatric vaccines, helping to promote community health and disease prevention ahead of the flu season.
The success of the initiative was made possible through the collaboration of multiple community and university partners. Key to the success of this event was a partnership between HTCTX and the San Antonio Food Bank, including its chief operating officer and distribution special projects coordinator, Emma Santa Maria, PhD, and Travis Savely, respectively. Leadership and institutional support were provided by Dean John Pham, DO, FACOFP, Rachel Bingham and Mariano Flores. Influenza vaccinations were administered and supervised by Linda Hook, DPH, the UIW Nursing Clinic team and UIW Pharmacy students.
“It certainly was a great interprofessional opportunity,” shared Hook.
Student engagement played a significant role in the event's success. UIWSOM students Justin Lamontagne and Gabrielle Nguyen helped organize the event. Approximately 50 UIWSOM medical student volunteers participated, contributing their time and efforts to support food distribution, event operations and community outreach. Their participation reflected the institution's commitment to service, compassion and community engagement.
“With this being our first event, our goal was to put our best foot forward and serve as many people as possible. The team feels very blessed to have reached 132 families and provided 50 people with their seasonal flu vaccine. This is certainly an event we will do again,” shared Lamontagne.
The event demonstrated the impact of partnerships between educational institutions, healthcare professionals, community organizations, and volunteers in addressing social and health-related needs. By combining food assistance with preventive healthcare services, the inaugural food distribution and vaccine drive provided valuable resources to residents and established a foundation for future collaborative outreach efforts.
Pham expressed his gratitude stating, “Dr. Hook and Dr. Fajardo, along with our outstanding student physicians from Healing the Children Texas, organized and implemented this wonderful event. We hope to continue offering it monthly. I am extremely proud of their efforts and dedication in addressing a significant need within our Southside community. Their commitment to service reflects the mission of UIWSOM and the positive impact our students and faculty can have when working together to improve community health.”
