About Us

Reinforcing Our Community

MRC GEM is an all-volunteer nonprofit whose mission is to augment community health operations during large-scale emergencies, aid response to pressing health care needs, and improve community emergency preparedness. We serve Georgia’s Gwinnett, Newton, and Rockdale Counties, a highly-diverse population of well over 1.2 million people.

COVID is a perfect example of when our help was needed: our volunteers provided over 17,000 hours of support, helping with 375,000 vaccinations and tests. We’ve assisted with hurricane evacuation shelters, TB testing, distributing Narcan kits, providing first aid stations at public events, among many other functions. We have over 1,300 volunteers who either have an active healthcare license or a current background check. Our work has received awards and special recognition from GNR Public Health, the Gwinnett County Commission, the Georgia State Legislature, FEMA, and the U.S. Surgeon General.

We accomplish all this with NO paid staff – we’re ALL volunteers, including our entire management team. We depend on grants, individual donations, and corporate concessions to enable ongoing recruitment and training, so we’ll have the trained volunteers needed to respond quickly when needed to disasters and other emergencies.

Our Origin

A part of the USA Freedom Corps, created by the President in response to the attacks of September 11, 2001, the MRC program is guided by the HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR).

Our Mission


Our stated mission is to augment existing community health operations during large-scale emergencies, aid in response to pressing health care needs, and improve community emergency preparedness.

Not All Heroes Wear Capes

Our Board of Directors provide strategic guidance, as well as helping to manage our key functions. Our Directors help assure our continued viability, both financially and through leadership succession planning and many other areas.

Shameka Allen
Judith Levinson
Sherwin Levinson
James Newell
Mark Reiswig
Suleima Salgado
Michael Shaw
Patty Thumann
Anthony Varamo
DePriest Waddy

Board Members Emeritus

We deeply appreciate the service of our former board members

Dr. Audrey Arona, MD
Roy Busby
Jerry Roets
Arnold Zwickel

Award Winning Work

MRC GEM is honored and grateful that the efforts of our leaders and volunteers are recognized nationwide.

MRC GEM Honored by the Georgia House

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Winner of the Surgeon General’s Community Resiliency Award
Sherwin Levinson Awarded Mentor Award from Medical Reserve Corps Program Awards 

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Sherwin Levinson Awarded 2018 Gwinnett Chamber Healthcare Awards Volunteer Service Recipient

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Medical Reserve Corps GEM awarded the 2021 Good Neighbor Award

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Sherwin Levinson Awarded 2021 Good Neighbor Award

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Gwinnett County Issues Proclamation Recognizing MRC GEM Volunteers

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