Every Monday and Thursday during dinner hours at Loaves and Fishes, COMO Mobile Aid Collective transforms the Ashley Street Center pavilion lot into a pop-up health clinic.
The collective offers Columbia's homeless population medical care, free clothing and nutritional necessities to address some of the city's health care gaps.
During each clinic, volunteer health professionals provide free wound care, blood pressure checks and toiletries. Catherine Armbrust, the collective's director, said all volunteers go through a deescalation training prior to working at the clinic with unhoused individuals.
On a windy afternoon in late October, nursing students from the University of Missouri prepared to assist visitors. Armbrust said COMO Mobile Aid Collective works with students who receive internship hours for their volunteerism.
The collective unloaded medical supplies from an affectionately-named mobile storage unit, "Trailer Swift." They also set up a portable privacy tent for sensitive consultations.
Armbrust opened a temporary barrier at 4:30 p.m. to signal the clinic's opening. Visitors began browsing through a garment rack of donated clothing, picking out warmer layers for the colder months ahead. One woman came to the clinic looking for food for a stray cat she'd brought on a leash, while nearby, a man requested a consultation for a recent hernia.
Gayle Link Chang, a dedicated volunteer of two years, moved comfortably among the clinic's visitors. Outside of her volunteer work at the evening clinic, she works full-time as a registered nurse and clinical specialist with the American Red Cross.
Chang, who grew up in Jefferson City, said she has witnessed a significant rise in the need for empathetic care for Mid-Missouri's often dehumanized homeless population over the years.
"She is compassion incarnate," Armbrust said. "Gayle takes on tasks without hesitation, knowing how vital each one is."
Throughout the hour-long clinic, Chang smoothly addressed a range of visitors' needs, from taking one person's blood pressure to advising another on exercises for torn muscles, and explaining to a third how to obtain a Missouri driver's license.
"When I'm away for a while, I miss seeing everyone," Chang said. "If I don't see some of the visitors, I wonder where they are."
As the sun dipped lower and shadows lengthened, volunteers began packing up wardrobe racks and medical supplies, wrapping up for the evening. Armbrust and Chang gathered the team, thanking them for their commitment to helping their unhoused neighbors prepare for winter.
"You'll never think about the weather the same way again," Chang told a group of nursing students, reminding them of the uncertain realities Columbia's homeless population face each day.
With temperatures dropping, Armburst said COMO Mobile Aid Collective has rented a shuttle bus to distribute supplies around town. It will continue to provide services inside the bus twice weekly at the Ashley Street Center parking lot. The collective is currently seeking clothing donations of coats and sturdy winter boots, as well as canned vegetables and dry goods such as pasta and rice. Those wishing to donate can contact the organization directly for drop-off locations.
The work of the Missouri News Network is written by Missouri School of Journalism students and editors for publication by Missouri Press Association member newspapers.