Doctors at WVU Medicine are spearheading an effort to bring more fresh and frozen food into people's diets. (WVU Photo)

WVU physicians lead fundraising effort to support Mountaineer Food Bank

More and more West Virginians, financially burdened by the COVID-19 pandemic, are turning to food banks to put meals on their tables – and one team of West Virginia University physicians is pledging to provide more fresh and frozen food for those in need.

Through a dedicated School of Medicine outreach program – HOPE – the team is working to raise $90,000 for a refrigerated trailer for West Virginians via Mountaineer Food Bank.

HOPE – which stands for healthcare, opportunity, people, and education – serves to identify community-based needs and improve access to healthcare throughout the state, as well as working to enhance West Virginia’s economic status.

“Our land-grant mission is to help the residents of West Virginia and we take that mission very seriously,” Dr. Clay Marsh, vice president and executive dean for WVU Health Sciences, said. Marsh charged his assistant deans for outreach with identifying ways to help West Virginians amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to the economic impact, food banks in West Virginia and beyond have seen a significant rise in demand in recent months.

Longtime Mountaineer Food Bank supporter Dr. Larry Rhodes, executive director of rural programs for the Health Sciences Center and professor for the School of Medicine’s Division of Pediatric Cardiology, suggested partnering with the organization, West Virginia’s largest emergency food provider. Dr. Joe Prudhomme, assistant dean for outreach and associate professor for the School of Medicine, devised the fundraising drive for a refrigerated trailer.

“Everybody has plenty of dry storage, but refrigeration capacity is the limiting factor,” Prudhomme said.

Raising money for a refrigerated trailer that can be used to distribute fresh and frozen foods across the state seemed like a timely project they could reasonably tackle, Prudhomme said. He’s encouraging faculty, students and staff to contribute and hopes to eventually get participants across campus involved with food distribution.

Centrally located in Braxton County, MFB distributes over 16.7 million pounds of food annually to more than 450 feeding programs in 48 of the state’s 55 counties.

Nearly $25,000 has been raised or pledged to date. That total includes pledges of $10,000 from the HOPE program and $10,000 from the four physicians behind the effort. In addition to Rhodes and Prudhomme, Dr. John Brick, associate dean of rural outreach and J.F. Brick Endowed Chair of Neurology for the School of Medicine, and Dr. Rebecca Schmidt, assistant dean for outreach and professor for the School of Medicine, are involved.

Donations to the food bank can be made online at a dedicated crowdfunding page. General donations can be made to the Health Outreach Fund at give.wvu.edu/medicine to support the HOPE program.

Featured

SHOPS & SERVICES

Upshur County Courthouse

County approves $11.5-million-dollar budget, which includes several earmarked ARPA-funded projects

BUCKHANNON – The Upshur County Commission’s budget for the 2023-2024 fiscal year saw increases in the regional jail bill and increases to PEIA premiums, but commissioners were still able to provide 3 percent raises across elected officials’ departments. Upshur County […]

Become a premium member to unlock immediate access to this story and thousands more. Plus you’ll wake up every morning to our email edition. Your subscription supports local news by local writers. Signing up is easy — just tap the button below!

SHOPS & SERVICES

Softball Lady Bucs roll Preston in three innings, 20-3

KINGWOOD – After getting just one hit and shutout in their opener against Lincoln on Monday, the Buckhannon-Upshur Lady Bucs had no offensive shortage against the Preston Knights in a 20-3 demolition Wednesday evening in Kingwood in Big 10 Conference […]

Become a premium member to unlock immediate access to this story and thousands more. Plus you’ll wake up every morning to our email edition. Your subscription supports local news by local writers. Signing up is easy — just tap the button below!

Lady Buc netters tumble to regional foes Wheeling Park and University

BUCKHANNON – The Buckhannon-Upshur Lady Buc tennis team squared off against a pair of regional powerhouses on Monday and Tuesday. On Monday at the West Virginia Wesleyan courts, they lost a 6-1 decision to Wheeling Park then on Tuesday on […]

Become a premium member to unlock immediate access to this story and thousands more. Plus you’ll wake up every morning to our email edition. Your subscription supports local news by local writers. Signing up is easy — just tap the button below!

Tennis Bucs drop regional outings to Wheeling Park and University

BUCKHANNON – Playing in one of the toughest regions in the state isn’t going to do Buckhannon-Upshur head tennis coach Jason Rock and his young Buccaneer any favors this year, and he and his squad had to face two of […]

Become a premium member to unlock immediate access to this story and thousands more. Plus you’ll wake up every morning to our email edition. Your subscription supports local news by local writers. Signing up is easy — just tap the button below!

Baseball Bucs run past Preston in 16-6 victory

TENNERTON – The Buckhannon-Upshur baseball Buccaneers 10-runned their second opponent in as many days to start the season after downing the Preston Knights by a 16-6 score in five innings of action Tuesday evening at William E. Phillips Memorial Field. […]

Become a premium member to unlock immediate access to this story and thousands more. Plus you’ll wake up every morning to our email edition. Your subscription supports local news by local writers. Signing up is easy — just tap the button below!

SHOPS & SERVICES

WVU researchers working to get people with hip pain moving

Although it’s well known that regular exercise can reduce musculoskeletal pain, some chronic pain sufferers avoid it hoping to minimize their symptoms. One West Virginia University researcher aims to change this behavior in people experiencing