Helping Harvest Fresh Food Bank
Title: Bridging the Gaps at Helping Harvest
Student Interns:
Gautham Ramachandran
Drexel University College of Medicine at Tower Health
Academic Preceptor:
Holly Metzgar, DO, FACOG, NCMP
Drexel University College of Medicine at Tower Health
Community Preceptor:
Alexis Fick
Helping Harvest Fresh Food Bank
Alyssa Messner
Helping Harvest Fresh Food Bank
Jess Umbenhauer
Helping Harvest Fresh Food Bank
Community Site:
Helping Harvest Fresh Food Bank is a nonprofit organization working to reduce food insecurity in Berks and Schuylkill counties. As a regional partner of the national Feeding America network, the organization distributes more than nine million pounds of food each year to over 350 community partners, including food pantries, meal sites, senior centers, and youth programs. One of its key initiatives, the Mobile Market, delivers over 1.7 million pounds of food annually to low-income “neighbors” at 24 different locations across the two counties. For older adults with limited incomes, Helping Harvest operates the Senior Box program which provides a monthly box of shelf-stable food items. Additionally, Helping Harvest runs the Weekender program, which sends a package of food home each week with school-aged children who may not have enough to eat over the weekend. During the academic year, around 4,200 of these packages are distributed weekly across the region.
Team’s Experience:
The Bridging the Gaps student intern at Helping Harvest contributed to a variety of essential operations across multiple departments. In the warehouse, the intern assisted with packing food orders and performing general logistical tasks to support daily distribution efforts. In the administrative office, responsibilities included completing paperwork, entering data into the organization’s database, and organizing files. The intern also participated in the Mobile Market program, helping with site setup, food distribution, and post-event cleanup. As part of a long-term initiative, the intern also conducted a survey that collected anonymous feedback from community members regarding the quality and variety of foods provided.
Reflections
“My time at Helping Harvest was both eye-opening and deeply meaningful. I was genuinely surprised by the extent of food insecurity in our community, something I hadn’t fully realized until I witnessed it firsthand. It was humbling to see how many individuals and families rely on the services provided by Helping Harvest. What stood out most to me was the dedication of the staff and volunteers, who work tirelessly and compassionately (regardless of the weather) to ensure that the neighbors have access to basic necessities. Being able to contribute to this mission, even in a small way, gave me a sense of purpose and connection to the community. Whether I was packing food in the warehouse, helping distribute items at mobile markets, or collecting feedback from neighbors, I felt that my work was part of something larger. This experience has broadened my perspective on issues of hunger and equity and has inspired me to stay involved in community-based work. I leave this internship with a deeper understanding of both the challenges people face and the power of collective action to create meaningful change.”
Gautham Ramachandran