KSHB 41 and Harvesters are partnering this week as part of 2025 Fill the Fridge. You can learn more about the effort and how you can chip in here.
A group of students from Penn Valley Community College spent the day at Harvesters applying their classroom knowledge to a real-world project.
Community health workers conduct outreach for community or health organizations to implement programs in the community that promote, maintain, and improve individual and community health.
On Friday, these students got to be the change they want to see.
Bailee Sistrunk is a community health worker student.
"We were packaging beef, we were packing beans rice, spinach, so it's just really like a variety of nutrients," said Sistrunk.
Harvesters served as their classroom for the day.
They spent Friday packaging 356 boxes of nutritious foods for families in need. The community-based work requires students to have boots on the ground, to identify and meet those needs.
"Food insecurities and we're talking about conflict, and we're talking about just a bunch of different things that can factor out to why someone may be the way they are and how we can help," said Sistruck.
Hallee Kent, another community health worker student, has volunteered at Harvesters since age 11 and motivated her fellow students to join her efforts for their class project.
"It aligns a lot,” said Kent. “Actually, this week we're studying nutrition and food and that's the topic of the week. So, we tried to line up some field trips, and this was one of the field trips."
As they fill the boxes, they are also filling the gaps; work that goes beyond the classroom.
"It's extremely important (emotional),” said Kent. “Like I said, I have a struggled past, and me being able to move into the future and knowing that I can help others, it means a lot to me."