BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — “The work that the social servant is doing aligns completely with our mission and especially the work of equity. Part of equity is taking services out to people where they are and that's exactly what the social servant has been doing and is going to be doing,” said Traco Matthews Chief Health Equity Officer at Kern Health Systems
There was a community gathering Saturday to recognize the launch of the mobile clinic. Founder Edward Robinson has already been utilizing the van to hand out supplies and resources.
“The number one barrier was transportation. A lot of people just weren't mobile, they couldn't get around. How can we get the services to the people?” Said Robinson
Robinson came up with a way to bypass this barrier.
“So I said alright, what if I can have a van that is big enough? All we are doing is providing the resources and engaging.”
The Social Servant received funding from Kern Health Systems, part of the 19 million dollars the county received from the state’s housing and homeless incentive program.
“Just the passion that they have and the grassroots efforts. They are literally driving around and going and finding these individuals that otherwise would probably just go unseen and not receive the help. They are the boots on the ground for us,” said Emily Duran, CEO of Kern Health Systems.
Robinson’s background in social work gives him the knowledge to help people navigate paperwork. He can write referrals, help change county codes, and apply for assistance.
Gregory Tatum said that he hopes Robinson can inspire other community members to find ways to get involved in their community.
“What Mr. Robinson is doing is he’s paving the way for other entrepreneurs to come on board and be doing similar or same situations,” said Gregory Tatum “I think it's ingenious and I think it's incredible to have at this time.”
Robinson believes that simple engagement goes a long way.
“Homeless population deals with social isolation and depression more frequently than any other.”
The process of getting the mobile clinic running wasn’t simple, but now that its operational, Robinson has a straightforward plan.
“When I'm driving down the street, if I see somebody, I stop, engage,” said Robinson.
