Those without medical insurance have found solace in Family Doc in a Bus for two years.

“A lot of people in the community right now don’t have private insurance,” said Fema Aquino, resident doctor with UAB Selma Family Medicine Center and Doc in a Bus physician. “A small time spent with them is really, really huge. It does a tremendous effect on their health care.”

Family Doc in a Bus celebrated the second anniversary of the ready-to-go free medical assistance program at an event sponsored by anonymous donors for all program volunteers Thursday.

“It’s wonderful that they have this organized for the community,” Aquino said. “It doesn’t cost a lot to share your time for the needy.”

To date, the twice a month clinic has served more than 500 patients and more than 1,250 patient visits from the mobile medical center with and center at the Edmunite Missions building on Broad Street.

All doctors, who are residents with the UAB Selma Family Medicine Center, offer their time and medical expertise at no cost to patients and the program because they want to help the people of the area.

“Right now, there is a critical need,” said Jeff Cothran, executive director of the Selma and Dallas County United Way.

Although the United Way accepts phone calls daily for appointments, patients should expect a delay because all appointments are booked until February.

“I’m always impressed at the capacity of a community to meet its own needs and I am convinced that no matter what community you live in, the resources to meet the needs are within the community,” said Dr. Monica Newton, founder and medical director. “We can only find ways to work together to see that happen. This was a beautiful example of needs that existed and resources that could be leveraged together to be something much greater than any one individual or any one group could do on it’s own.”

Family Doc in a Bus is funded from grants from the United Way and Alabama Department of Public Health’s Department for Emergency Preparedness.