School of Nursing Receives Award at Inaugural Food Summit
March 06, 2018
Paul Finch, Board President, SEVA, presents the Pillars of Promise: Transform award to ODU's Beth Tremblay and Jamela Martin
By Betsy Hnath
Old Dominion University's School of Nursing received the "Pillars of Promise: Transform" award at the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore (SEVA) Food Summit on March 2.
More than 20 undergraduate students, guided by Jamela Martin, assistant professor of nursing; and Beth Tremblay, lecturer of nursing, have been working at the Foodbank to carry out several critical projects as part of their community health practicum experience.
Other nominees in the category included Bank of America, Eastern Shore Chapel, The Mount Church and Buffalow Family/Friends Community Day.
"I congratulate the students and faculty whose time and efforts at the Foodbank have been transformative for the organization, and those that they serve in the community," said Karen Karlowicz, chair of the School of Nursing. "We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Foodbank to make a meaningful impact on the health and well-being of the community."
The inaugural Food Summit brought together leaders from throughout the Hampton Roads region to shine a spotlight on the issue of hunger in our community.
In the 11 cities and counties that the Foodbank of SEVA serves, the organization is able to provide a little over 15 million of those meals - or about half of what is needed to close the existing "meal gap."
"A hunger-free community is our vision, but we know we cannot realize it alone," said Ruth Jones Nichols, CEO of the Foodbank. "Now is the time to bring community leaders, elected officials, business leaders, caring individuals and corporations together to focus on how we can solve the issue of hunger and food insecurity, once and for all."
Hunger Summit speakers included Old Dominion's Dr. Muge Akpinar-Elci, director for the Center for Global Health and Harry Zhang, associate professor of community and environmental health at the University.
"Old Dominion University is proud to partner with the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore to host the first Hunger Summit," said University President John R. Broderick. "Hunger and food insecurity can affect anyone, even students on our campus. We are glad to be part of the conversation to end hunger."
