Next in our series of posts about new Charitocracy nominees, we have nominee Street Medicine Institute, nominated by donor cperg814. They facilitate and enhance the direct provision of health care to the unsheltered homeless where they live. You can find their web site here.

A few words on Charitocracy

Firstly, for newcomers: here's how it works. Donors pool their monthly contributions, as little as $1. The cause with the most votes each month wins the pot. No matter how much or how little you contribute, each donor at Charitocracy gets one vote. This is where charity meets democracy. So please share this post (see social sharing icons at top of post) and ask your friends to join us and vote! That's how we spread the word and, as a result, grow the monthly pot. The bigger the pot, the bigger our positive impact on the world!

About nominee Street Medicine Institute

It is the VISION of the Street Medicine Institute that communities throughout the world are transformed through the delivery of Street Medicine practices designed to meet the unique needs of persons sleeping rough.

Our MISSION: Inspiring and equipping communities worldwide to provide Street Medicine services to persons experiencing rough-sleeping homelessness.

We hope to accomplish our vision through:

• Customized, on-site consultation and training programs designed to assist communities establish or improve their own Street Medicine programs;
• Documentation and sharing of best practices in the delivery of Street Medicine;
• Encouragement of a global Street Medicine community primarily through the annual International Street Medicine Symposium; and,
• Creation of service-oriented Street Medicine learning opportunities for students in the health sciences.

Our CORE VALUES: Non-profit inspiring and equipping communities worldwide to provide street medicine services to people experiencing unsheltered homelessness.

Go to the People – Street medicine is effective only when we meet people on their own terms in their own spaces.

Solidarity – We stand with our sisters and brothers sleeping outside, advocating for others to see them for the beloved human beings they are.

Authenticity – Being genuine, transparent, and honest allows our organization to maintain trust with people sleeping rough and the street medicine teams who care for them.

Transformative Disruption – We drive change in our communities and health care systems to achieve justice and health equity for all of us, no matter where we sleep at night.

Streets as a Classroom – People sleeping rough are our best teachers. In learning from them, we learn how to provide healing for others and ourselves.

Healing Community – In caring for people society shuns, street medicine workers can feel equally marginalized. We offer a place of refuge for people involved in street medicine globally to refuel and grow with each other.

NOTE: While the Street Medicine Institute is comprised of individuals with Street Medicine expertise, we are not engaged in the direct delivery of Street Medicine health care services. Rather, we assist and support individuals and communities wishing to start or improve a Street Medicine program.

So please visit the page of nominee Street Medicine Institute to vote for, like, or discuss this cause! And please watch this inspiring video about how SMI serves as an incubator to train providers and increase capacity worldwide to serve this vulnerable and often forgotten population.