Students at Ponce Health Sciences University in Puerto Rico operate a mobile health van, bringing essential medical services to a different underserved community each month. The clinic, Clinica del Sur, was established in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2016. It assists patients in navigating Puerto Rico’s complex healthcare system by offering free lab tests, regular checkups, and psychological evaluations for those who face physical or financial obstacles to accessing healthcare.

When demand for the clinic’s services grew significantly, Ponce Medical School Foundation created a program to give students at Ponce Health Sciences University an opportunity to become directly involved in the clinic’s operations. BBF Global Relief provided a grant to Ponce Medical Foundation to fund a mobile health clinic program for one year, providing the clinic with the resources it needs to better serve Ponce’s 200,000 residents—nearly half of whom live below the poverty threshold.