About VA MRC

In the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks, thousands of Americans volunteered their skills and talents to assist the community. Many more asked, “What can I do to help?”

In 2002, the Medical Reserve Corps program was established to organize community volunteer efforts to respond to public health emergencies.  The MRC program is a partner program with Department of the Homeland Security’s Citizen Corps and is headquartered in the Office of the Surgeon General at the Department of Health and Human Services.

Our Mission.

Each MRC unit is a local program built on the concept that communities can improve their overall health and preparedness by organizing volunteer resources from within. The purpose of MRC units is to:

• Recruit health care professionals and volunteers in supporting roles.
• Create a framework to match volunteers’ skills to address community needs.
• Train volunteers to respond effectively to local emergencies. 
• Provide reserve capacity to respond to local, state and national public health needs.