CHOW promotes heart health
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Visitors were able to get more than food this month at The Community Feed at Jordan-Newby. Students from CHOW, an EVMS Community-Engaged Learning initiative, recently partnered with the Food Hub to provide blood pressure screenings in honor of National Heart Health Month.
Students and staff volunteered their time to screen 20 people and provide healthy recipe ideas.
“Many of the participants that we screened were grateful that we held this event with the Foodbank because this was the only time they are able to have their blood pressure checked,” says Camille Williams, MD Class of 2025. “It is always great giving back to the community and I look forward to more of these health screenings.”
The Community Feed at Jordan-Newby is a Food Hub designed to tackle food insecurity by not only providing essential nourishment but also empowering individuals with holistic support, tackling issues like education and lack of access to healthcare.
In addition to health screenings, CHOW volunteers created a book of healthy recipes along with heart health tips to hand out at the event. “The educational workbooks were fantastic and the participants enjoyed receiving information on how to best combat high blood pressure through a healthy diet and exercise,” says Ms. Williams.
Community-Engaged Learning leadership were grateful for all of the volunteers and said It was truly a group effort. “We wouldn’t have been able to participate in this event without the support of our students, our volunteer nurse from EVMS Occupational Health, Catherine Stewart, RN, and the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore,” says Emily Terifay, MLIS, CEL Coordinator of Outreach Programs.
Full list of volunteers:
Catherine Stewart, RN, Occupational Health
Camille Williams, MD Class of 2025
Joanne Aquino, MPA Class of 2024
Christopher Dorney, MD Class of 2027
Derek Fisher, MD Class of 2026
Adam Black, MPA Class of 2026