March is Pharmacy Awareness Month and the School of Pharmacy is encouraging others to think about the many roles pharmacists play. Community partner is one of those roles.
What can you do with 80 pounds of potatoes, 100 pounds of ham, and 45 litres of ice cream? On Friday, February 23, a team of faculty, staff, and students from the School of Pharmacy answered that question by preparing a meal for 220 people in need.
The event supported Ray of Hope Community Centre, a local organization that offers hot meals to hungry people. Volunteering groups fundraise, purchase, prepare and serve each meal. They also supported “Coldest Night of the Year,” another Ray of Hope initiative that fundraises for the region’s hungry and homeless. During the event, pharmacy students welcomed hundreds of participants into the School of Pharmacy for hot chocolate and treats before cheering them on to the finish line.
“Pharmacists are some of the most accessible health care providers in the community, so it’s important that we foster a sense of civic engagement in our students,” said Christine Bird, the school’s community service learning coordinator. “As a school, we are always looking for opportunities to give back to our community, one that has been so giving to us.”
The Think Pharmacists series is issued by the School of Pharmacy for #PAM2018.