UMMA Clinic Honored
by US House of Representatives
The UMMA Clinic in Los Angeles has increasingly been the
focus of mainstream attention, receiving a special recognition
before the US House of Representatives, in addition to special
commendations by the Los Angeles City Council and the Los
Angeles County Board of Supervisors. It has also received
the National Philanthropy Day award for outstanding volunteer
project.
Recently, the federal government
awarded UMMA with its federally qualified health center
(FQHC) look-alike status, a highly competitive and desirable
position that will make it eligible for special federal
grant money.
The UMMA Clinic is the first charitable medical institution
established by Muslim Americans in the United States. Now
in its 10th year, UMMA is the acronym for the University
Muslim Medical Association.
The Clinic extends treatment to 17,000 patients in South
Central Los Angeles, one of the poorest inner-city communities
in the US over 95% of whom are Latino and African Americans.
UMMA's aim has been to serve humanity at large, not just
Muslims.
UMMA was launched by UCLA
students, opening its doors in 1996 after a 5-year struggle
for its establlishment. The students goal was to create
a clinic that would serve the local population, irrespective
of race or creed. The initiative marked an expression of
their Islamic faith, based on the premise that Muslims can
best exemplify their faith through their good work. However,
they stressed a collaborative approach, working with local
government, and other institutions, and garnering support
of people from diverse faiths and backgrounds
The students first approached
the LA City Councilperson for the South Central area, and
with her help, they received $1.2 million in grant money
from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD) and the city's development department. A crack-house
was subsequently established which was later transformed
into a state-of-the-art medical facility.
Starting first as a
volunteer-based clinic operating 2 days a week, UMMA now
has 15 fulltime employees, and draws upon a large pool of
volunteer physicians from every conceivable faith and background.
UMMA is also a teaching facility, and medical students and
resident physicians work here as part of their training
programs at UCLA, Children’s Hospital and other institutions.
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