Carver Community Against COVID (CCA-COVID)

Carver Community Against COVID (CCA-COVID) was founded by a group of first-year medical students attending the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine (CCOM) in response to challenges faced by the University of Iowa Health System and other local hospitals during the COVID-19 crisis. Volunteers are M1s-M4s/PA1-2s from the Carver College of Medicine.

This initiative began as direct household support for providers, including grocery runs, pet-sitting, and babysitting. To address the ever-changing needs of our community, CCA-COVID expanded to include a PPE Task Force and community support services. The PPE Task Force established several teams to address the PPE shortage from a variety of angles: a community drive to collect donations from private citizens and businesses, assembling DIY face-shields, creating advocacy materials for contacting legislators, and connecting with local sewing groups to collect homemade masks and surgical caps. Community partners include the Coral Ridge Mall, which hosts the main drop-off site for the PPE drive, as well as many active local sewing groups.

CCA-COVID’s community support services include direct household support and a phone “Pen-pal” program (“COVID Companion”) to connect students with seniors who may be isolated living in nursing homes. Both Oaknoll Retirement Community and Melrose Meadows Nursing Homes are currently participating.