Einstein Gives Back in Honor of Martin Luther King Jr.’s Legacy of Service
Albert Einstein College of Medicine has a long history of partnering with the Bronx community. A shining example is our annual Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Week of Service, when Einstein faculty, students, staff, and postdocs volunteer in our home borough and throughout the area. This year, more than 100 members of the Einstein community took part in the event, which was sponsored by Einstein’s service-learning program in the office of medical education.
Yaron Tomer, M.D., the Marilyn and Stanley M. Katz Dean and chief academic officer at Montefiore Einstein (center) and Einstein volunteers at Niño de la Caridad
In the service-learning course, Einstein medical students learn about the history, needs, and strengths of the Bronx, engage in active community service with local organizations, and participate in a dedicated curriculum for critical reflection, imparting the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to successfully engage with community members and community-based organizations.
Einstein volunteers at Immanuel Cares Global
“We believe that patient care doesn’t start when you enter our clinics—it starts in the community,” said Yaron Tomer, M.D., the Marilyn and Stanley M. Katz Dean and chief academic officer at Montefiore Einstein. “Teaching the physicians of the future to understand all the components that affect the health of their patients starts by partnering with the community. This is not something we do only on MLK Day, it’s something Einstein does every day.”
During this year’s MLK Week of Service, Einstein volunteers distributed more than 13 thousand pounds of fresh produce to 26 communities in Harlem and the Bronx, provided pre-packaged meals, clothing, and medical screenings to community members experiencing homelessness, and distributed bags of canned goods to families facing food insecurity. In addition, volunteers hosted career round tables, lab tours, and health education workshops for more than 30 local high school students on Einstein’s campus.
The week also included some friendly competition to see which Einstein volunteers could log the most service hours. Dana Watnick, Ph.D., assistant professor of pediatrics, was the individual winner, logging 12.5 hours with Westchester Resettlement Coalition. The group winner was the lab of Peri Kurshan, Ph.D, assistant professor in the Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, whose members logged 13.5 hours at four different events for Niño de la Caridad, a nonprofit dedicated to Bronx children where Dr. Tomer also volunteered.
Einstein students teaching local high schoolers at a health education event
“I’m proud of all our participants for giving their time this week and throughout the year,” said Lauren Roth, M.D., ’16, director of Einstein’s service-learning program and leader of Einstein’s MLK Week of Service alongside program manager, Holly Nuthmann, and administrative assistant, Maya Rivera. “It was also a wonderful opportunity to strengthen ties with the community-based organizations we partner with throughout the year for our service-learning course.”
In addition to Niño de la Caridad, other Bronx-based organizations who participated were Grassroots Grocery, a food distribution network; Immanuel Cares Global, a health and social services organization; and Project BRAVO Food Pantry, a Montefiore Einstein-driven organization providing healthy food. Volunteers were also encouraged to serve at nonprofits they’re passionate about in the communities where they live.
Posted on: Friday, January 31, 2025