AllOne Foundation & Charities staff members were in attendance as the Hazleton Integration Project (HIP) officially launched their Eradicating Food Insecurity (EFI) Initiative on May 29th.
During the open house event at the Hazleton Community Center, attendees learned about various programs HIP is implementing to combat food insecurity in the Greater Hazleton Area. Funding from AllOne Charities played a role in establishing one of these programs: the area’s first fresh food pantry. The pantry is patterned after the Geisinger Fresh Food Farmacy in Lackawanna County and serves as the only “food as medicine” approach in the greater Hazleton area.
HIP’s model has empowered students to analyze and drive solutions for the root causes of food insecurity. A select group of high-achieving high school student volunteers are working collaboratively, providing insight and critical examination of this issue, as well as other social justice issues. To date, HIP has served over 200,000 meals and aims to significantly increase that number.
Representative Matthew Cartwright, State Senator David Argall, U.S. Senator Bob Casey and State Representative Dane Watro, all of whom were represented at Wednesday’s event, have supported HIP on the state and federal levels.
“It warms my heart to see the level of support that the Hazleton Integration Project has received over the years,” Representative Matthew Cartwright said during the event. Speaking directly to the students and leaders of HIP, he then said, “This is wonderful work you’re all doing here, and I thank you for doing it.”
Representative Matthew Cartwright congratulates HIP students at the open house event
Top photo, pictured left to right: Hazleton Integration Project Co-founder, Bob Curry; State Representative Dean Watro; CEO of Risant Health, Jaewon Ryu, MD; Hazleton Integration Project Co-founder, Joe Madden; Representative Matthew Cartwright
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