Madeline Brown, Indira Jetton, Linda Krasniewski, Cami Lingenfelter, Allison Karwoski, and Theresa Nguyen
Medical students at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) hosted the 33rd annual Project Feast event on Thanksgiving day. About 135 volunteers and turkey bakers worked together to serve more than 300 meals to underserved Baltimore residents.
“We had 45 donated turkeys and other donations, which included clothing, shoes, toiletries, books, and nonperishable food items that filled up three midsize SUVs,” said Madeline Brown, UMSOM Class of 2025 student and a member of the Project Feast Executive Board. “The event took months of planning and allowed me to learn in greater detail the hard work that goes into organizing an occasion of this magnitude.”
The indoor event, held at Booker T. Washington Middle School Street in Baltimore , also included to-go orders for attendees who preferred to eat their meals elsewhere. Additionally, a Baltimore City police officer and a Project Feast volunteer dropped off more than 100 meals directly to homeless residents elsewhere in the city.
About 50 percent of the volunteers were UMSOM students and faculty, 10 percent were other University of Maryland, Baltimore, students, and 40 percent were members of the community who helped with Project Feast in the past. Nine bags of items were donated to nearby shelters.
The Project Feast 2022 Team Leaders were UMSOM Class of 2025 students: Brown, Indira Jetton, Linda Krasniewski, Cami Lingenfelter, Allison Karwoski, and Theresa Nguyen.
“I greatly enjoyed interacting with those who came to volunteer, as well as receive meals, throughout the day,” Brown said. “It was a very memorable Thanksgiving for me and an experience that I will cherish forever.”
The event was sponsored by the Medical Alumni Association at UMSOM and was held 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Nov. 24..