Gators serving our community
As the holidays approach, learn about five service initiatives organized by the college community
Nov. 24, 2025 — As the holiday season approaches, the University of Florida College of Medicine community is not only prepping for exams, searching for the perfect gifts for loved ones and crafting the perfect holiday menu. It’s also committed to giving back to those around them.
Take a look at how groups throughout the College of Medicine have served the community over the past year and are continuing to do so this fall.
Spread warmth this holiday season
’Tis the season to give back. Help the UF College of Medicine brighten the holidays for children and families served by the Children’s Home Society of Florida. We’re collecting jackets and laundry essentials to share a little extra comfort and cheer Dec. 15–19. Donation bins will be located in the HMEB and MSB lobbies.
UF Clinical and Translational Science Institute
This year, UF’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute, or CTSI, is hosting a Thanksgiving meal drive organized by Jennifer Moses, the associate director of communications.
The team is collecting Thanksgiving-inspired nonperishables, like instant mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, gravy, bread, canned chicken and more. The goal is to create baskets that can feed a family of up to four with food that can be cooked using only a microwave.
“We asked, ‘Is there anything we can do to reduce the burden on families this season?’” Moses said. “If there’s anything we can provide, we will.”
Moses said she thinks CTSI will be able to provide at least 50 meal kits to families throughout Gainesville. For the drive, they’re working closely with UF HealthStreet, a community engagement program that works to create access to health care for Gainesville residents.
“This is an opportunity for us to meet the community where they are and for us to build trust,” Moses said. “We want them to know we’re here for good and to impact public health.”
First- and second-year medical and PA students created hygiene kits for unhoused individuals in Gainesville
Courtesy of Ansley Bilyeu
Medical and PA students
UF College of Medicine students start their educational careers with service. Each class has a community service chair to facilitate opportunities for community engagement.
This month, first- and second-year medical and PA students created hygiene kits for unhoused individuals in Gainesville. Students were asked to distribute kits to people they encountered during their daily routines.
Second-year medical student Ansley Bilyeu spearheaded the initiative with one of her peers. She said her goal for service opportunities is to focus primarily outside of the UF community so she and her classmates can get to know their neighbors.
“We’re all people desiring the same things,” Bilyeu said. “There’s sometimes a difficulty in approaching people in different life situations than yourself. My hope was that the kits would serve as a bridge in communication.”
The hygiene kits were based on high-need items identified by UF HealthStreet, like razors, lip balm, sunscreen, a toothbrush and toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner, body soap and wipes. The kits also included a protein bar and a document with information on where those facing homelessness can seek medical assistance. This included addresses and phone numbers to resources like UF HealthStreet, Grace Outreach, the Equal Access Clinic Network and more.
“To serve others in any capacity, but especially as a physician, you need to know your community well,” Bilyeu said. “You need to know all parts of your community, not just your classmates and the physicians you’re working with.”
Lillian S. Wells Department of Neurosurgery
Since 2018, members of the Lillian S. Wells Department of Neurosurgery have completed a service project each month in the Gainesville community, organized by Catherine Flores, Ph.D., an associate professor in the department.
This month, the group is working with the Food4Kids Backpack Program. The nonprofit organization fills bags with nonperishable meals and snacks for chronically hungry children in North Florida, donating them for use over weekends and extended school breaks to make sure kids come back to school nourished and ready to learn.
Maryam Rahman, M.D., a professor in the department, said in the past, the team has collected hundreds of pounds of food and supplies for the organization.
“We have very generous and compassionate people within the department,” she said. “There is really a sense of wanting to give back.”
For those interested in supporting the Food4Kids initiative, donation boxes in the Rosen Neuro-Oncology Lab will be up until Thanksgiving.
Rahman has also been involved in a four-week program to get at-risk kids interested in neurosurgery. Once a year, the department partners with a local school to teach them about science and inspire them to attend college. The program usually runs In February and March, right before Alachua County spring break.
With almost 200 full-time employees, the department has also worked with organizations including Project Downtown, a student-led organization that distributes free hot meals to unhoused community members; Hoops for Hope, a basketball tournament to raise money for those with cancer; and the Ronald McDonald House.
Graduate students
The Medical Graduate Student Organization carries out a service initiative each month students are on campus. For its November project, the group worked with Habitat for Humanity to build homes for underprivileged communities.
“We all come to Gainesville from different places, and we take a lot from the community,” Hinsch said. “I think it’s very important to give back to that community.”
Courtesy of Valerie Hinsch
Valerie Hinsch, a third-year Ph.D. candidate and the service chair for the graduate student organization, said she does her best to find opportunities for her peers to get off campus and into the Gainesville community.
“We all come to Gainesville from different places, and we take a lot from the community,” Hinsch said. “I think it’s very important to give back to that community.”
The group has also worked with the Field and Fork Pantry and Wilmot Botanical Gardens on the UF campus, Critter Creek Animal Sanctuary, Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary and other organizations its members are passionate about.
Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics
The Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics never runs out of service initiative ideas to bring its community together, said Nicole Hammer, a co-chair of the department’s workplace and community engagement committee.
“It’s not only good for the community but also for our department,” Hammer said. “And people are always sending me emails saying, ‘I have this connection I want to collaborate with.’ The more you do, the more people want to get involved.”
On "blue day," members of the department dressed in blue and raised money for the Florida Diabetes Camp.
Courtesy of Nicole Hammer
Hammer has been with the committee for four years, and in that time, she said it’s transformed into a hub of service that strengthens the workplace.
“We’re always focused on research, health outcomes and medicine, but that can take our attention away from other things that also matter,” she said. “Community is important, so this is a chance for us to come together. And we all have such a great time doing it together.”
Earlier this month, the committee hosted a “blue day” to raise awareness for Diabetes Awareness Month. They asked members of the department to dress in blue and raised money for the Florida Diabetes Camp, a camp where children with diabetes can learn about managing their condition, build confidence and make connections with others. The group usually raises about $300 for this cause each year, Hammer said, which goes toward covering the cost of attending the camp for kids who can’t afford it otherwise.
This month, the committee is also working with UF HealthStreet to collect nonperishables for its food pantry. Hammer said in past years, the department has collected over 190 pounds of food.
She also urged the UF and Gainesville community to take charge when it comes to service.
“Don’t wait for someone else to arrange a donation drive or a service event,” Hammer said. “You can do it —make a flyer, decorate a donation box with some friends, spread the word and carpool to the donation center — helping to better the community can be fun and easy.”
