Offer CAWS Community Service Project at Your School

The mission of CASD is to improve healthcare access for uninsured community members in San Diego. CASD provides financial support and accompaniment for patients, as well as education for providers to improve the health of our community.

Uninsured patients are often left without options when it comes to specialist visits or non-emergent medical procedures. CASD has been able to fund surgical procedures for these patients, getting them back on their feet and back to what they love through community organizing and fundraising.

The CAWS/IB service learning event captured the hearts of conference attendees in addressing the medical needs of uninsured patients in San Diego. Over $5000 was raised at the conference to support costs for 5 patients in partnership with Comunidad de Apoyo San Diego. School leaders are invited to continue this project at their sites.

At the IB Global Conference participants were part of the Butterfly Effect 🦋 

Butterflies signify growth and new beginnings. They are also the symbol of the CASD and represent a new start for the patients they have helped.

Here is how the project worked:

Help fund a patient

Participants stopped by the CASD table to create a butterfly with a message and help to fill up our heart! CAWS collected a small amount of money for each butterfly created.

These small actions provided funds for five patients to have much needed medical care and surgeries. CAWS had set our goal at $3000.00 but though the generosity of participants we collected over $5000.00. All proceeds were donated directly to CASD and will fund healthcare for uninsured immigrant patients.

 Contributions were acknowledged with an enamel monarch butterfly pin and a letter from CASD.

Raise awareness through your networks

Butterfly wing murals were created by talented students from our IB World Schools in San Diego. Participants took selfies in front of a mural and many shared their photos on social networks!

Photos included on this page include our CAWS service project leaders, Carol Van Van Vooren, Laurel Ferreira and Melanie Paliotti, participants, three patients and our table and heart filled with wishes. 

We encourage you to create your own heart to fill at your school and continue this project locally. Please contact Robin Oliver at [email protected] is you have any questions.