Community Impact Award
Synergy Saturday is a collaborative volunteer effort between health care professionals with a united focus of promoting wellness and preventative care. The organization has been providing free health screenings every Saturday in the Little Rock River Market since 2015.
Larry Freeman, founder and CEO of Synergy Saturday, believes Arkansans can improve their health with frequent screenings to document their numbers. Individuals can have their blood pressure, blood glucose levels, body mass index and cholesterol checked at these screenings.
By “knowing their numbers,” individuals have a better understanding of their health, which enables them to have a more productive conversation at their annual wellness visit with primary care physicians.
“The overall impact of Synergy Saturday is really priceless,” Freeman said. “The more we help people to change their lifestyle, be proactive and take preventative measures, they will be healthier and health costs will decline.”
This past year, the organization performed 2,657 health screenings compared to 200 in its first year. Synergy Saturday not only provides individuals with information about their health, but also an experiential learning opportunity for medical students by volunteering and working alongside licensed health care professionals.
The organization acquired a decommissioned ambulance vehicle to use as a mobile health-screening unit to reach the underprivileged and underserved in health professional shortage areas (HPSA). Freeman plans to have a whole fleet of mobile health screening units in effort to scale up the organization.
With frequency, mobility and a targeted reach, Synergy Saturday is committed to serving rural, urban and native communities.
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