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Med students lift hammers for Portland’s low-income families

Each year, newly elected junior student members of the OHSU chapter of the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society plan a service project to help give back to the community.  This year, the members volunteered for a “build-day” with the Portland Chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

On May 26, junior and senior AOA student members and friends dodged the rain clouds and helped with the framing process at Habitat for Humanity’s condominium build site in North Portland which, when completed, will provide housing for 12 Portland families.

AOA Group ShotWhile the rainy weather was typical for late-May in Oregon, this did not dampen the spirits of the volunteers. “We donned our oft-worn foul weather gear and worked through the rain to help saw, hammer, nail and hoist beams up in three of the condominium units,” said Geoff Maly, MS4. A good time was had by all, and the student efforts were appreciated by the Habitat staff and families.

In order to complement the student volunteer time, the OHSU School of Medicine’s Office of the Dean pledged a donation of $1,000 to Habitat for Humanity. Habitat’s budget is largely dependant on monetary donations like this in order to continue to provide homes for those in need. 

“The student members of the AOA would like to thank the Dean’s Office for their generous donation to this worthy cause,” said Maly. “I would also like to thank all those who volunteered their time and energy to help make the volunteer day a success: Jenna Donaldson, Laura Elliot, Thomas Gibson, Brain Jeppesen, Allie Pribnow, Wendy Walker and Brian Winters.”

Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit organization that, with the help of volunteer labor and donation of money and materials, helps build simple, decent and affordable houses for low-income families around the world.


Pictured: Front row from left to right: Brian Jeppesen, Geoff Maly, Wendy Walker, Jenna Donaldson Back row left to right: Thomas Gibson, Brian Winters, Allie Pribnow

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