Ross Medical Education Center in Owensboro, Kentucky has always been committed to their community. This winter the students, staff, and faculty have donated their time and services to a local soup kitchen. Helping Hands Kitchen located within Walnut Memorial Baptist Church serves free hot nutritional meals for the community every Monday night. Since the beginning of their mission in November of 2013, the kitchen has relied on the volunteer spirit of local businesses to help keep meals coming.
The students in the evening Medical Assistant class baked over 30 cakes and desserts to freeze the week prior to serving. That way, even if the organization finds themselves in a situation where desserts haven’t been donated, the kitchen will always have a back-up. Evening Medical Assistant Instructor Linda Stone stated, “we had a great time baking cakes and would have made more if time would have permitted.”
It was a meaningful experience for the Ross staff, faculty, and students that participated. However, it was also impactful for those at the organization. Helping Hands Director Sheila Royal shared, “we are so grateful to Ross for all of their help over the years. They truly promoted community involvement with their students, and the students always come here with smiles on their faces.”
After making the desserts to freeze for when they were needed, later in February the students in the evening Medical Assistant and Dental Assistant classes, faculty, and staff volunteered to serve the meal and some of the dessert they had made. Helping Hands Kitchen had a tremendous turnout, serving ham, pinto beans, cornbread a full salad bar and dessert to over 150 people. “I love coming here. It’s always so fun and rewarding,” exclaimed Evening Medical Assistant student Catherine Millay. Shafawna Fox-Baker, Assistant Campus Director of Education, agreed, “I really feel that it helps our students to see the bigger picture. Even though they may be struggling at times with school and home life, helping other always helps to put things into perspective.”