Last weekend, students, staff, and faculty from the School of Pharmacy supported local service organization Ray of Hope in delivering two events.

On Friday February 23, the team brought 80 pounds of potatoes, 100 pounds of ham, 45 litres of ice cream, and more to Ray of Hope Community Centre. They peeled, sliced, and cooked to produce scalloped potatoes, ham, vegetables, and dessert. The meal fed approximately 220 needful people in Kitchener.

Faculty and students prepping food

Ray of Hope offers these hot meals for hungry people each night out of their community centre. Groups volunteer to fundraise and coordinate the purchasing, preparation, and serving.

Student, staff and faculty volunteers in the Ray of Hope Kitchen

The next day, students and staff prepared the School of Pharmacy to be a rest stop for the Coldest Night of the Year Walk. The event is an annual fundraiser that supports the hungry, hurting, and homeless in over 100 communities across Canada. This year, about 650 people from across Waterloo Region participated in a 2km, 5km, or 10km walk. The walkers are invited to stop by the School of Pharmacy to take a break from the cold and enjoy hot chocolate and treats.

Volunteers with a rest stop sign

Throughout the event, pharmacy students guided walkers, providing directions, welcoming them inside, or cheering them on as they passed.

“Events like Coldest Night and the Ray of Hope dinner bring us together as a School. Being a satellite campus, we do think of ourselves as a member of this community and city.” says Christine Bird, the School’s community service learning coordinator. “We are always looking for opportunities to give back to a community that has been so welcoming to us.”

Student volunteers from COldest Night of the Year