Physician Assistant Program students lead effort to send meals to families in need
Students from the Physician Assistant Program at Penn State College of Medicine packaged more than 14,000 meals for people in need all over the globe.
The Oct 12. event, held in the University Conference Center on the campus of Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, was the culmination of the students’ effort which also included raising $4,196 for Rise Against Hunger, an international hunger relief organization that distributes food and life-changing aid to the world’s most vulnerable, with a goal of ending hunger by 2030.
“We are so thankful for all the donors and everyone, including students from both PA Program classes and faculty, taking time out of their busy schedules to raise money and make this happen,” said Eric Patten, outreach chair for the PA Program class of 2019. “The meal packaging event is getting bigger every year and we have a blast doing it.”
Students, faculty and staff raised the money which, in turn, helped Rise Against Hunger purchase the food that PA Program students packaged.
The meals go to areas with the most need, including Southern Africa, South America and Southeast Asia. Each meal is a nutritious dehydrated meal onsisting of rice, soy, vegetables and 23 essential vitamins and minerals.
Since 2016, students in the PA Program have raised more than $13,500 to fight hunger and packaged more than 46,400 meals.
“We’re thrilled the PA Program class of 2020 is going to do it again next year,” Patten said.
The effort underscores the commitment to community service instilled in students at the College of Medicine.
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