Shani Yardeni - Street Medicine- Help us bring healthcare to the street!

Street Medicine is very close to my heart. We’re a team of volunteer healthcare professionals, and every week we go out into the streets to meet people experiencing homelessness where they are. We provide medical care and medications and try to connect them with ongoing care, but sometimes, just as importantly, we simply stop, talk, and listen, giving the person in front of us the feeling that they are seen. One of the things this experience has made me realize is how easily this could happen to any one of us. Many, if not almost all, of the people we meet are living with severe mental illness or the effects of physical and emotional trauma, conditions that require close treatment and follow-up, while the treatment itself can be complicated and come at a significant cost in terms of side effects and quality of life. Many have also had difficult or harmful experiences with the healthcare system and don’t always feel safe turning to it again. They didn’t choose to live on the street, and their way of life is often the result of trying to cope with illness and an impossible reality. Sometimes the difference is simply having a supportive family, access to care, or someone who was there and intervened at the right time. Since October 7th, we’ve also been meeting more and more people struggling with PTSD. We’ve now launched a fundraising campaign so we can continue doing this work. I’d be incredibly grateful for any donation through my JGive page, but simply sharing this message can help just as much, if not more, by helping us reach as many people as possible who may want to donate ❤️