The field of social work thrives on human interaction, a quality The University of Alabama’s social work department seeks to promote in its students through community involvement.

This is precisely why a group of graduate students from James and Joanne Terrell’s Social Work Practice with Communities courses teamed up with the Tuscaloosa Police Department to host the East Tuscaloosa Community Health Fair from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1 at the Jaycees Fairground in Alberta City.

The fair is open to the eastern side of Tuscaloosa and the Alberta City area and will feature free health screenings and information, interactive games, door prizes, family activities and refreshments.

Graduate students played a key role in planning the health fair by establishing a coat drive, securing merchant donations, working with radio and television for public service announcements, and coordinating the general logistics for the event.

“Many of our students have not had the opportunity to network with a public agency such as [the] Tuscaloosa Police Department, nor work at a community level asking for donations and securing vendors such as The Maude Whatley clinic, the Red Cross, and the wonderful area merchants that donated the food,” James Terrell said. “This is also a learning opportunity to work and coexist in a group of diverse students with a common goal.”

Thomas Sorrells, a first-year graduate student in Joanne Terrell’s class, helped to plan the logistics of the fair and worked to bring in local health and social service providers.

“Participation in a project like this benefits students of social work immensely,” Sorrels said. “It’s a first step out of the classroom and into the real world of organizational, administrative, and even political, agenda setting. It’s training in how to get things done. Most importantly, it’s a lesson in what social work is really about at its core: becoming an advocate for those in need.”

Sorrels conducted a coat drive with his team and said they will hand them out at the fair. He said many of the organizations present will be accepting donations.

“The fair is mainly a way to provide the vulnerable and underserved populations of East Tuscaloosa – those displaced or dispossessed by the tornado, the economically disadvantaged, those without access to affordable healthcare – with health screenings and information,” Sorrells said. “We hope it will be a lot of fun for all who attend.”

Kearsee Gill, a first-year graduate student in the school of social work, also worked to plan the health fair. She said her job is to locate resources for community members in need.

Gill said the term resource encompasses a broad range of services, including housing and medical assistance as well as providing clothes.

“I have chosen not to take the ‘I am just a student’ attitude,” Gill said. “Honestly, I have enjoyed dedicating my time and efforts going business-to-business and door-to-door to see what the community needs. I have learned that no one knows what the community needs better than the community.”