Background: Access to health care services is a multidimensional concept encompassing availability and utilization. Access to community-based care is essential for all populations. Because access is a precondition for utilization, community-based health fairs may address both dimensions of availability and utilization of health providers. These are free and acceptable services for community members in a familiar setting. Methods: Using the Piedmont Columbus Regional Hospital 2020 - 2022 (Community Health Needs Assessment) CHNA Report, faculty and students in the College of Education and Health Professions at Columbus State University will organize and execute a Community Health and Wellness Fair event in a rural Georgia community on April 8, 2023, during National Public Health Week. We intend to prioritize our community's health needs identified through evidence-based recommendations using the CHNA Report and community partner input. We aim to increase the visibility of this event to aid in future planning goals and the development of additional need-based community health education, services, and long-term funding strategies. We will develop and administer a volunteer survey to the population served during our university health fair event and request participation in a 6-month follow-up survey. We also aim to create ongoing Service-Learning Experiences for our students through our work with community organizations. OBJECTIVE: To create a win-win situation that promotes community health and to understand the distribution of needs and the current burden of services for preventative health screenings and care in diverse and under-reserved populations in a rural Georgia community. DESIGN: Baseline phase of a community-based participatory research approach to evidence-based recommendations to improve access to and funding for preventative health screenings and services with data from client screening and follow-up surveys. Results: The results of this study will be shared with local and state public health professionals and current and potential community health partner organizations to evaluate effectiveness of this event and determine goals for future research and interventions. This study can also help inform academic programs on how to best utilize relationships with healthcare and community organizations, news media, and local government to provide health information and services to at-risk and underserved populations. Conclusion: Findings will assist academic programs, community organizations, and stakeholders in developing targeted interventions that can improve the health and well-being of the community and increase understanding of access to care and its association with health behaviors. Implications for public health research will be discussed.