The Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank benefited when students from the NEOMED chapter of the Student National Medical Association collected canned goods, personal care items and cleaning supplies during Days of Service Nov. 16-17.

SNMA Region 5, encompassing Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, encouraged student chapters to participate in service days during the month of November. The organization is “committed to supporting current and future underrepresented minority medical students, addressing the needs of underserved communities, and increasing the number of clinically excellent, culturally competent and socially conscious physicians.”

“We chose the foodbank for our service project because our focus is on supporting our local community,” says Madeline Foo (M1), who serves as SNMA’s community service chair.

“While we are living in this area, we want to support the local community,” says Vissy Elad (M1), SNMA vice president.  That’s a proud tradition at NEOMED. In 2020, the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank recognized NEOMED’s Student-Run COVID-19 Relief Initiative as Organizational Volunteer Group of the Year.

“NEOMED is a beacon in the area for people from all over,” notes Elad, who hails from Toronto. She points out that among just the five students staffing the collection table, four states – Hawaii, Maryland, Texas and Ohio – and her own Canadian province were represented.