On December 19th, 2024, CommunityHealth hosted our annual Volunteer of the Year awards, recognizing outstanding volunteers who went above and beyond in 2024. This year’s Volunteer of the Year Awards celebrated 17 amazing volunteers for the above and beyond efforts they put into CommunityHealth.
Our award recipients were honored for truly following and connecting with our mission of quality healthcare for all. From providers to interpreters, all recipients were given the chance to speak on what CommunityHealth means to them, and how their experiences here have shaped their perspectives as healthcare professionals.
2024 Volunteer of the Year Award Recipients:
Clinic Volunteer of the Year- Polish Interpreter: Elizabeth Lakoma
“I feel proud to be part of a team that has such a tangible effort for our community’s. as someone from Chicago I’ve always been interested in providing accessible care, so being able to interpret in a space like this is amazing.”
Clinic Volunteer of the Year- Spanish Interpreter: Lyan Basora Dorville
“For me, CommunityHealth has been so much more than a free clinic. I joined about two years ago in a career outside of healthcare. I’ve been inspired for CommunityHealth’s mission and the work we do for patients. I feel like being an interpreter gives me an opportunity to pay forward the support I’ve been given all my life, and I am proud to be part of a great team that is united and driven by its commitment to expand language access in healthcare.”
Clinic Volunteer of the Year- Triage: Mini Bhattacharya
“A few years ago, I started thinking about applying to medical school and switching to the clinical side, and CommunityHealth was my first stop. I expected it to take me a few months, but right away the experience was amazing, so I think this was the right call. It’s an honor to see a direct patient impact from the work we do.”
Clinic Volunteer of the Year- Lab: Josh Melamed
“Volunteering at CommunityHealth has been so meaningful to me over the past 2 years. It has taught me so much about how healthcare should be, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to volunteer here and for this recognition.”
Dental Volunteer of the Year: Yoel Sanchez
“Spending time at CommunityHealth, I have learned this space is more than a clinic. It is a place where members of different communities unite to close health disparities that exist. I found that all the volunteers and administrators are passionate about contributing in any ways they can. CommunityHealth stands as a beacon of hope and evidence that when communities unite for cause, change is possible. I can confidently say the world is better because CommunityHealth exists.”
Fundraiser of the Year: Riley Melton
“From my perspective looking from the outside in. Whatever the work may be, I just take such privilege in being able to support that work. One of my favorite things to do is when I’m describing the work of the important things being done here, I love that shock on the face of prospective donors when they hear this kind of thing is happening, that CommunityHealth exists. I’m so fortunate to be able to support that.”
Education and Outreach Volunteer of the Year: Ria Subramanian
“It’s been great to see the impact on patients and volunteers, since I’ve been hearing stories from different things they didn’t realize that patients face. I’ve really enjoyed it and I’m excited to see where this program will go in the future.”
Pharmacy Volunteer of the Year: Gary Frisch
“Most of my life I have been giving back to the community, and this is just another way to do that. Thank you so much for this honor.”
Volunteer Medical Student of the Year: Priscilla Molina and Samantha Castro-Rico
Priscilla Molina: “We are excited to work with everybody and work with everyone who are really passionate for the people and the patient population CommunityHealth serves. I am really grateful we had this opportunity.”
Samantha Castro-Rico: “When we came to clinic, we were able to create these beautiful bonds with our patients and share those with you and feel that same level of excitement that as people who want to pursue a career in primary care hope to establish in the future. To be able to see that at CommunityHealth has been very valuable.”
Preceptor of the Year: Dr. Alebich
“I’ve been a doctor at Cook County Hospital for fourteen years. I’ve come from saying this is a duty of people in County to saying this is a duty to people in CommunityHealth. This is my favorite part of being a doctor. I can’t believe the services provided to patients. I love it here. I am so grateful for what all of you do.”
Volunteer Primary Care Provider of the Year: Barbara Shaw
“I started volunteering at CommunityHealth way back in the day, it was a small group of committed people who wanted to make a big change. That has carried me through these moments coming back to CommunityHealth. Being in this community is really meaningful, and I learn so much from the patients every time I’m here.”
Resident of the Year: Khalid Hussein
“Through my year and a half so far at CommunityHealth it has been an honor to help out. One thing that stands out- I was amazed by how much is available at the clinic that allows me to help all my patients. It feels natural, like everyone is my second family. It’s my pleasure to serve at this clinic and I am looking forward to one more year with you all.”
Volunteer Specialist of the Year: Dr. Vanagunas
“The biggest honor I have is working with a group of dedicated caring and absolutely wonderful people. It is an honor doing it, I need no other honor than be with likeminded people doing a service for our vulnerable patients, which I enjoy. I think what we all do is a wonderful thing. Everyone who works there deserves an honor every day.”
Volunteer Specialist of the Year: Dr. Venkatesan
“From the front to the back to pharmacy, everyone is so welcoming. I think it’s a privilege I have being able to do this for the patients there. The smile on their faces as they leave is priceless. Thank you for having me and I appreciate everyone helping me when I am here.”
Ilene Goodman Award: Margaret Bavis
“CommunityHealth is my happy place. I am so grateful to be there. It’s an easy place to put in time and effort, and to want to be there, because you can see the impact on the patients you can see the growth of the students and providers and all of us coming together to make a difference and to treat people with respect and be a model for what healthcare should be.”