The Family Van

At The Family Van, we love seeing students step into our mobile clinic and experience firsthand what it means to bring healthcare directly into communities.

Take Tufts University Project SHARE students Marco and Lena. What started as a one-time visit has grown into a lasting connection with our mission, our team, and the communities we serve week after week across Boston.

Now we’re thrilled to welcome them both back as they spend the next month volunteering alongside our team, building relationships in the community, and experiencing the power of mobile healthcare from the inside out.

There’s nothing more powerful than seeing future healthcare leaders witness the trust, compassion, and human connection that happens when care meets people where they are. ❤️

Yesterday at the Boston Public Health Commission Community Convening for Brain Health and Dementia Risk Reduction, we had the opportunity to present a poster on our community-based pilot program.

The conversations were a powerful reminder that brain health can improve through everyday choices, and that small changes can have a real, lasting impact. Sleep, stress, nutrition, blood pressure, and connection all matter deeply, shaping how we age. That’s why our work in the community feels so important.

Through our partnership with the Global Brain Care Coalition, we’re using the Brain Care Score to bring conversations about brain care into neighborhoods across Boston and center prevention in a practical, accessible way.

Honored to be part of this work, and to be in community with so many people committed to helping others live healthier, fuller lives.

📷: Our team members with our partners from the Global Brain Care Coalition at Mass General Brigham.

Yesterday, our team came together for a strategy and planning retreat focused on one goal: how to better serve Boston’s neighborhoods. ❤️

We spent the day reflecting on what it means to be grounded in community — not just providing services, but showing up as a steady presence people can count on, week after week.

What stood out most was our team itself: like a puzzle, each person brings different strengths that fit together to strengthen the whole.

We left aligned and energized, committed to building on those strengths so every visit to the van reflects the trust, respect, and care our communities deserve. ❤️

🌟 Applications are now open for The Family Van’s 2026–2027 Volunteer Program! 🌟

Looking for a meaningful way to support Boston communities while gaining hands-on experience? Join our team of community health workers and help bring free, compassionate healthcare directly into the community through our mobile clinic.

Volunteer opportunities include:
✔️ Direct Service & Community Outreach
✔️ Research & Advocacy
✔️ Marketing & Communications

This 9-month program includes a weekly 4-hour commitment and welcomes students, professionals, and community members from all backgrounds.

If you’re passionate about community health, service, and making a real impact, we’d love to hear from you ❤️

🗓️ Apply by July 15 at 11:59 PM ET

📧 Questions? [email protected]

🔗 Learn more & apply: https://www.familyvan.org/volunteers

➡️ Please SHARE with others who may be interested in joining our team!

Feeling energized after attending The Boston Globe Health Equity Summit yesterday. So much of what was shared aligns deeply with the work we see every day at The Family Van.

We couldn’t agree more with what Dr. Narjust Florez M.D. FASCO, Associate Medical Director of the Cancer Care Access Program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, who shared that bringing care into the community changes what’s possible.

We see this in action every day on our mobile clinic.

Grateful to be in conversation with so many leaders who are reimagining how care is delivered — and ensuring it reaches people where they are.

Today at the Shaw-Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library, we had the opportunity to support moms in a small but meaningful way.

After a "Books for Babies" session hosted by the library, several moms stopped by our table for a quick blood pressure check — an easy way to check in on their health without needing an appointment or extra time in their day.

No extra trip. No added step. Just care, right where they already were.

When healthcare comes into community spaces, it makes it easier for parents to take care of themselves in the middle of everything they’re balancing.

❤️ And thank you to the Boston Public Library for creating space for care to happen right in the heart of the community. ❤️

At The Family Van, impact isn’t always about how many clients we see in a day.

On a cold, rainy, quiet morning this week, we invited a man in for a quick blood sugar screening. He has health insurance, but hadn’t seen a doctor in nearly 10 years. His blood sugar was alarmingly high — over 450.

We talked with him about going straight to the emergency room and getting care right away. We also shared simple, everyday ways to start managing his blood sugar and referred him to a dietitian at Stop & Shop.

When we called him to follow up, he shared he’s doing well, grateful for the support, and now connected with a primary care provider.

This is why we show up in our Boston neighborhoods. ❤️

🌟 It’s Volunteer Week! Today and every day, we’re so grateful for the volunteers who show up each week with care, curiosity, and heart.

❤️ In Boston’s neighborhoods, they’ve offered screenings, shared health education, connected people to resources, and most importantly, created space to listen and care.

❤️ Behind the scenes, they’ve strengthened outreach, supported community events, and contributed to research that helps advance mobile health nationwide.

❤️ We’re deeply grateful for all they give! ❤️

We had an incredible visit from students at Everett Public Schools, Massachusetts this week!

These seniors are part of a Career and Technical Education Medical Assisting program — and they showed up curious, engaged, and ready to learn.

For their senior capstone, they’re designing a Mobile Community Health Unit to serve their own community — taking on real barriers like transportation, access to preventive screenings, and mental health resources.

They asked thoughtful questions:
➡️ What are the greatest needs in the community?
➡️ How are we staffed?
➡️ How are mobile clinics funded?

Our team shared what we’re seeing across Boston neighborhoods — and what we’re learning nationally through Mobile Health Map — highlighting the incredible work happening on mobile clinics across the country.

They left us energized.

We’re excited to see them thinking about what’s possible when care is brought out into the community, where it’s needed most.