Did you know that your kidneys play an important role in your overall health? Despite their

modest size, these bean-shaped organs are critical for waste removal, fluid balance, and overall

health maintenance. However, kidney disease often remains unrecognized because symptoms

appear gradually over time. That is why National Kidney Awareness Month, which occurs in

March, is such an essential time to learn more about kidney health, raise awareness about the

dangers of renal disease, and explore prevention methods.

AMM’s current Social Work Intern, Erin, is a Master of Social Work student at NC State. She reports to Nick, our Director of Social Work Services. Not many free and charitable clinics have a social worker who is embedded in the clinic. Erin is over halfway through her time with AMM, so we asked her some questions about Social Work and her experience at AMM.

February is recognized as American Heart Month and is an opportunity to spread awareness regarding heart disease prevention. The United States commemorates the 61st annual American Heart Month in February. President Lyndon B. Johnson, a heart attack survivor, originally declared this in 1964. The American Heart Association's Go Red for Women initiative will celebrate its eleventh anniversary on National Wear Red Day in 2025. Wearing red on this day helps spread the word about heart disease and motivates people to lead healthy lives.

Jenifer started at AMM when she was a graduate student at North Carolina State University studying Physiology. After a quick Google search for “medical volunteer clinics”, AMM was the first result, and the rest is history.

AMM’s garden is maintained through an agroecological approach: that is, we aim to grow food in an environment that supports and is inspired by the earth’s natural processes.

At AMM, volunteers range from college students who are hoping to get into the medical field, community members looking to make a difference, congregations who build hygiene kits and provide groups for our Garden Workdays, the list goes on. Some volunteers, however, have unique ways of getting involved, and former volunteer and medical assistant Olivia Joyner is the perfect example.