HNL Lab Medicine Partners with Northampton Community College for Back-to-School Pantry Drive
Allentown, Pa., August 31, 2023— HNL Lab Medicine is proud to announce its collaboration with Northampton Community College (NCC) in hosting a Back-to-School Pantry Drive, aimed at providing essential supplies to students in need as they prepare for the upcoming school year. The Back-to-School Pantry Drive ran until August 22 and collected a range of school supplies, including calculators, notebooks, writing utensils, hygiene products, and non-perishable food for three NCC pantries. This partnership is dedicated to creating a better future for all students regardless of their circumstances, ensuring no student feels forgotten or unsupported.
After discovering that some of their fellow peers were silently battling food insecurities, a compassionate group of nursing students at NCC established the H.O.P.E. and C.A.R.E. food pantries, creating a lifeline for their struggling friends. In addition to the food pantries on the Bethlehem and Monroe Campuses, NCC’s Fowler Southside Center location recently started their own pantry with the help of Kate Karalunas, NCC dental hygiene professor, and her student volunteers. With budgets as low as $ 5,000 per year, the pantries rely on donations in order to support students in need.
As part of the drive, HNL Lab Medicine employees donated fifteen boxes of essential items. Jessica Bargilione, Vice President of Marketing at HNL Lab Medicine, expressed her enthusiasm about the success of the Back-to-School Pantry Drive, stating, “Education is a powerful tool, and every student deserves an equal chance to learn and grow. By partnering with Northampton Community College, we aim to alleviate the burden of school-related expenses for families in need, contributing to a positive academic experience. This shared goal aligns with our team’s determination to ease obstacles that might hinder students’ educational pursuits. I am profoundly proud to be part of a team that consistently shows compassion and determination to make a meaningful impact on our community.”
Ellen Scott, Bethlehem food pantry coordinator and nursing professor at NCC, also shared her thoughts on the initiative, saying, “I love that HNL Lab Medicine thought of so much, even down to hairbrushes. We take things for granted, like brushing our hair, and not everyone has the essentials. The pantries want to help students get what they need to live comfortably.”
HNL Lab Medicine and Northampton Community College invite the community to participate in the Back-to-School Pantry Drive and help create a brighter future for students. Donations can be dropped off at the designated on-campus locations. For more information, please visit the Northampton Community College Food Pantries webpage.