糖心视频 students launch resource closet during AmeriCorps Week 2023

糖心视频 celebrates the valuable contributions of AmeriCorps volunteers by starting a new student-led initiative to fill unmet community need.

糖心视频 AmeriCorps volunteer Brooke Guddy ’23), a 糖心视频 public health major, connects with a client at the Old Brooklyn Senior Center.

糖心视频 students are among the 200,000 AmeriCorps volunteers who annually "get things done," helping communities combat hunger and homelessness, respond to natural disasters, fight the opioid epidemic, help seniors live independently, support veterans and military families, and much more.

糖心视频 is in its third year as an AmeriCorps host institution in partnership with the MetroHealth Institute of H.O.P.E., Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation and MetroWest Community Development Organization.

Twelve part-time AmeriCorps members, six 糖心视频 students and six community members, are trained annually as CHANGE INC. Community Health Empowerment Navigators (CHENs) and stationed at partner host sites.

The CHENs help community members experiencing food or health services insecurities to get the resources and services they need through the host sites and other programs around Cleveland.

Filling unmet need

糖心视频 AmeriCorps volunteers Madi Clymire ’23 a 糖心视频 biology major, and Adit Mahesh, a community volunteer, stock the food pantry at MetroHealth’s Food as Medicine Clinic

As part of AmeriCorps Week, 糖心视频 student AmeriCorps volunteers are launching a new 糖心视频 CHANGE INC. Resource Closet to fill some of the unmet need they've uncovered as they've worked with community clients.

"Our communities have resources for healthy food and healthcare, but many of our clients face additional barriers to meeting their nutritional needs, such as access to appropriate kitchen equipment to fulfill a required soft food diet or access to sanitary products," explains Asya Aretskin-Hariton, MPH '25, a 糖心视频 graduate student pursuing a Master of Public Health degree and serving as an Ohio AmeriCorps LeaderCorps representative.

"We envision this resource closet will stock items to fill those gaps."

Growing impact

The resource closet is just the latest way 糖心视频 volunteers are making a difference. When the third year of 糖心视频 AmeriCorps service wraps up in July, CHANGE INC. AmeriCorps members will have put in more than 29,000 hours of service.

To date, their community impact also includes:

32,224 individuals reached through communications promoting awareness and access to the food system,
1,401 individuals provided with foods that support healthy eating patterns, and
644 individuals provided with nutrition education and support services.

"Research confirms that service affects more than just the communities served, but also the volunteers themselves," notes Dr. Laura Hopkins, assistant professor of public health. "Students involved on our campus find their service develops leadership and problem-solving skills that we know employers value."

AmeriCorps programming is administered locally by ServeOhio, the state's Commission on Service and Volunteerism. To learn more about AmeriCorps, visit .