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52 Faces of Community<\/a> is a Fort Worth Report weekly series spotlighting local unsung heroes. It is sponsored by Central Market<\/a>, H-E-B<\/a> and JPS Health Network<\/a>.<\/p>\n At the end of the year, these rarely recognized heroes will gather for a luncheon where the Report will announce one honoree to represent Tarrant County at the Jefferson Awards in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n Both discovered they aided the homeless growing up. Stevens tagged along with her mother to a Dallas soup kitchen. Zapata gave food to people living on the street in her hometown of Laredo, sometimes even crossing the border to do so.\u00a0<\/p>\n Now, both second-year medical students at the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth continue to foster their giving spirit as co-founders of the Street Medicine Student Coalition. Their work led to their nomination for 52 Faces of Community, the Fort Worth Report\u2019s weekly series spotlighting unsung heroes in Tarrant County.<\/p>\n ENJOY READING THE NEWS AGAIN<\/strong><\/p>\n Discover refreshing, nonpartisan<\/strong> reporting on stories happening in your backyard.<\/p>\n The medical student-run organization provides medical care to Fort Worth\u2019s homeless population by meeting them where they\u2019re at: streets and parks. Zapata and Stevens want to build trust and connection with the homeless people who aren\u2019t in shelters.<\/p>\n Working from a portable table, student adviser Dr. Christopher Rheams, the John Peter Smith Street Medicine Team, Zapata and Stevens lead medical students in offering health screenings, vaccinations, HIV tests, general medical counseling and Plan B every other Tuesday at Glenwood Park.\u00a0<\/p>\n While serving as a coordinator at another student-run clinic serving Fort Worth\u2019s homeless community, Stevens learned many homeless people can\u2019t even access shelters and resources specifically made for them.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I look at students like (Madison Stevens and Rebecca Zapata), they inspire me. They demonstrate clearly that the future of medicine is in good hands.\u201d<\/p>\n Dr. Christopher Rheams, Street Medicine Student Coalition adviser<\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u201cThe degree of barriers that some of these unhoused people face is significant,\u201d Stevens said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The coalition also partners with Love and Light Ministries, which provides food and social workers to the homeless people.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s very dynamic,\u201d Zapata said. \u201cIt\u2019s a lot of community organizers coming together to help, because being unhoused is very complex.\u201d<\/p>\n Know an unsung hero in Tarrant County?<\/p>\n Tell us about them by filling out the form below. <\/p>\n \u2018We care about y\u2019all\u2019<\/p>\n Providing health screenings isn\u2019t the only reason Stevens and Zapata do street medicine. They want to get to know the people who they serve.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of times, we do health screenings, and then spend the rest of the time just talking to people,\u201d Zapata said. \u201cIt\u2019s just kind of going with the flow. We\u2019re not trying to see patients in five to 10 minutes. If you want to sit here and talk for 30 to 40 minutes, we can do that.\u201d<\/p>\n Homeless people have a tight-knit community, Zapata said. Word spread quickly about the street medicine team. Their table had regulars in just a few short months who were always eager to see Zapata and Stevens \u2014 and knew them by name.\u00a0<\/p>\n As patients started opening up, Stevens learned about their distrust with medical professionals. People expressed feeling judged and unable to ask for help.\u00a0<\/p>\n But Stevens and Zapata are working to build trust back.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cCreating a judgement-free zone, it\u2019s a really nice feeling to have,\u201d Stevens said. \u201cWe\u2019re also showing them, \u2018Hey, we as medical students, we care about y\u2019all.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2018Future of medicine is in good hands\u2019<\/p>\n Rheams, a professor at the UNT Health Science Center, is the organization\u2019s adviser. Within 30 seconds of first speaking to Stevens and Zapata, he immediately believed in their passion and commitment.<\/p>\n \u201cAt this point in my career, I\u2019m looking to pass the baton to the next generation,\u201d Rheams said. \u201cWhen I look at students like them, they inspire me. They demonstrate clearly that the future of medicine is in good hands.\u201d<\/p>\n The coalition has about 60 members and a growing waitlist. Zapata and Stevens\u2019 peers have shown overwhelming support and interest, Rheams added.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s such a joy of starting something from scratch that does real good for real people,\u201d Rheams said. \u201cYou see the immediate effect both on the unhoused people that we help, and on the students who provide that help. That\u2019s been the most amazing part of this \u2014 we\u2019re all learning.\u201d<\/p>\n Rheams primarily funded the coalition when it started. Now, it receives plenty of donations and continues to accept them. Zapata and Stevens hope to one day have sponsorships and receive grants.<\/p>\n Stevens and Zapata want to start to table every Tuesday and provide mental health and substance use resources, as well as more vaccines.\u00a0<\/p>\n Street medicine comes at the intersection of a host of social issues such as the housing crisis, a lack of mental health resources and unaffordable medical care, Zapata said.<\/p>\n The goal is to gain the trust of every person Stevens and Zapata help by finding their core needs and helping them overcome barriers, Stevens said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need a lot more humanity,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Kathryn Miller is a reporting fellow at the Fort Worth Report.\u00a0<\/p>\n At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Tired of shouting? Help us bring facts into focus.<\/strong><\/p>\n There\u2019s no shortage of opinions out there, but facts are harder to come by. At the Fort Worth Report, we deliver local reporting grounded in truth so that you can make informed decisions for yourself and your community.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n Republish This Story<\/p>\n\n
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