Foodbank Honors Student-Run Initiative

The Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank has recognized the Student-Run COVID-19 Relief Initiative as Organizational Volunteer Group of the Year. 

Each year, the non-profit Foodbank recognizes three winners during April, which is national Volunteer Appreciation Month. For 2020, Northeast Ohio Medical University’s Student-Run COVID-19 Relief Initiative was honored along with Burns & McDonnell (Corporate Volunteer Group of the Year) and John Ruth (Individual Volunteer of the Year). 

Second-year College of Medicine student Maahi Mistry coordinated student volunteers for an in-person volunteer event at the Foodbank. Third-year College of Pharmacy student Mariah Carlton, representing the Student National Pharmaceutical Association, organized a food drive, with the help of Mistry and the Black Student Association. 

An article in the Fall 2020 issue of Ignite magazine highlighted the many-pronged COVID-19 Relief Initiative spearheaded by third-year College of Medicine student Poojajeet Khaira. 

Interviewed in the Foodbank’s donor newsletter, Khaira said, “During this pandemic, I heard about a lot of people who were losing their jobs, making it harder for families to put food on the table. Through this process, I’ve learned that hunger affects more people than you would think.”