This month, the Remote Area Medical Agency (RAM) will once again bring its free mobile dental, vision, and medical services to Olean, supported by two long-standing St. Bonaventure University service organizations.
The two-day clinic will be held at the Olean YMCA (YMCA) on September 13-14. Volunteers from BonaResponds will be helping out throughout the weekend.
BonaResponds was founded 20 years ago by Dr. Jim Mahal, a finance professor at St. Bonaventure University, in response to Hurricane Katrina.
Meanwhile, Warming House, the oldest student-run soup kitchen in the United States, operating since 1975, will provide meals for patients.
All volunteers must register in advance through the RAM website. Patients do not need to register in advance.
“We already have a strong volunteer base, and I’m confident Warming House will do the same,” Mahal said. “What we really need is to encourage those who need medical, dental, or vision care to come.
I’ve volunteered at several RAM clinics and have met people who travel thousands of miles to be seen. For them, it’s truly life-changing.”
The clinic will open at 6 a.m. on Friday, September 13th, but patients can arrive up to six hours in advance and wait in the YMCA parking lot. Patients will be required to register and receive a text message when their turn is due; volunteers will notify those without cell phones.
“RAM is a gift to the Southland,” said Father Stephen Mimno, Franciscan, Vice President for Mission Integration at the Santa Barbara Gospel Mission (SBU).
“It provides free medical, dental, and vision care to those who are uninsured, unable to pay out-of-pocket, or face transportation barriers. It’s an act of compassion and aligns perfectly with our Franciscan mission.”
The clinic will remain open until the morning of Sunday, September 14th, closing at 9:30 a.m. Patients wishing to be seen that day are encouraged to arrive early.
On Saturday, services will continue until late afternoon, but patients arriving after 3 p.m. may not be able to receive treatment.
The event is sponsored by the Olean YMCA, Jamestown Community College, Olean City Schools, BonaResponds, and Warming House.
Founded in 1985, RAM has provided free healthcare to nearly one million people nationwide through its pop-up clinics. At the Olean event, patients will receive a wide range of care:
Dental Services: Cleanings, fillings, extractions, and X-rays.
Vision Services: Eye exams, health screenings, prescriptions, and same-day glasses at RAM’s mobile vision lab.
Medical Services: Primary care, podiatry, women’s health, and more, depending on the number of volunteers.
For uninsured or underinsured individuals in the area, RAM clinics are a vital opportunity to access free, high-quality healthcare.