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At Hilliard Food Pantry OSU and Norwegian Nursing students offered free health screenings including blood pressure and blood glucose testing to those in the community. We also were able to sort and pack diapers for young children and infants, as well as pass out free meals and snacks. Hilliard Food Pantry sits next to Hilliard United Methodist Church, so there was no shortage of selfless volunteers giving back to those in need. Many of those who came to Hilliard Food Pantry were families with young children and came from a variety of backgrounds and cultures. Nursing students were able to use online translators to explain health screening results to patients speaking languages other than English.

Having the opportunity to give back to those in our community is refreshing, yet educational, as well as a privilege. The Sustainable Development Goal that aligns with this clinical experience is goal #3, “Good Health and Wellbeing”. Doing these health screenings for as many people as we could promotes well-being for people at all ages. Once we did the health screenings, we helped to educate those on the importance of these measurements as well as provided them with information about a free clinic where they could receive health care from a nurse practitioner without a referral.

Resources

Reinoso, D., Haut, D., Claffey, S., Hahn Keiner, K., Chavez, A., Nace, N., & Carter, A. (2022, September 30). Addressing food insecurity: Lessons learned from co-locating a food pantry with a Federally Qualified Health Center. International journal of integrated care. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9524299/

United Nations. (n.d.). The 17 goals | sustainable development. United Nations. https://sdgs.un.org/goals

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Blog #3 Our Day at LifeSports
June 5, 2025 by Ashley Wells

Today we spent the day on the Ohio State University campus. We started off the morning with breakfast provided by Dr. Edwards, we had coffee cake, blueberry loaf, lemon loaf and a gluten free option. Then a couple of us went with the Norwegian nursing students to tour our hospital system. We went to the James to see a Med-surg unit on the 19th floor and the outdoor space for patients on the 14th floor. We also went over to University Hospital to tour the postpartum unit and stop at the gift shop. It was really interesting to compare how our hospital is set up compared to in Norway. The biggest difference we determined was that they have floors for different specialties while we do have separate hospitals for cancer and cardiology.
In the afternoon, we taught classes for the LifeSports program on nutrition and exercise. We taught kids about food groups, MyPlate and the 5-2-1-0 rule. I had never heard of the 5-2-1-0 rule, so it was interesting see how many of the kids had already known about it. We taught two groups of kids, each class we did introductions and taught for the first 20 minutes then played a family feud style game on the lesson. Many of the kids loved the competition and enjoyed the lesson. At the end we were also able to give out some of the camp pins on teamwork, effort and practicing responsibility to campers.
Reflecting on my experience at LifeSports, I feel it meets sustainable development goal 3, ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages (Department of Economic and Social affairs, n.d.).

While we only taught kids between the ages 9-11 in our class, there were a variety of ages at the camp, and they learned a variety of skills/lesson on well-being besides the nutrition that we taught. I had never heard of a camp like this but after participating in it I can see how it would be extremely beneficial to kids of all ages.

Department of Economic and Social affairs. (n.d.). Transforming our world: The 2030 agenda for sustainable development. United Nations. https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda

Over the past 2 weeks we have been doing health screenings on those who utilize food pantries on Parsons, 11th Avenue, and Hilliard. There were a wide variety of people these locations served. For example, the Parsons food pantry served higher levels of inner city poverty while Hilliard served a more suburban low income population. The NNEMAP pantry on 11th Avenue served a large population of immigrants. We provided blood pressure and blood sugar screenings and found that many people had high blood pressures and sugars. This did not surprise me because it was obvious that they struggled with getting access to healthy foods and were under immense amounts of stress. Chronic stress and unhealthy foods are the leading causes of obesity and diabetes. I noticed a lot of different cultures and people that came to each pantry. I was actually able to speak Urdu with a family and explained the screening results and what they meant. It was good to know that everyone was respected no matter what culture they came from and that everyone was there to provide access to food. 

One relatable sustainability goal is goal 2 which states, “End hunger, achieve food security, and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture” (Department of Economic and Social affairs). The whole point of food pantries is to promote food security and ensure that people have access to healthy foods and do not go hungry. I had a very fulfilling and enjoyable day feeding the community I will live in and serve as a nurse. 

Department of Economic and Social affairs. (n.d.). Transforming our world: The 2030 agenda

for sustainable development. United Nations. https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda

Blog #2 Our Day at All People’s Fresh Market
May 28, 2025 by Ashley Wells

Today I spent the day at The All People’s Fresh Market. It is a food pantry on the southside of Columbus that serves individuals and families in the area that earn 200% or less of the federal poverty guidelines. I found this food pantry to be unique from others we visited because people were able to come in to shop for their own fresh groceries or they could come get a premade box in the drive thru. I feel a food pantry like this supports sustainable development goal number 2, end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture(Department of Economic and Social affairs, n.d.). Specifically, by providing healthy whole foods they are improving nutrition within the community.

While I was at the food pantry, the other nursing students and I performed a variety of tasks. We packed boxes for the drive thru, maintained stock, checked people in to the pantry and performed health screenings. Our health screenings included blood pressure and glucose checks. It was fun to get to talk to some of the people who came in and many were excited about our screenings. We also got a chance to stop at the gluten-free bakery next door, Bake Me Happy, to get some sweet treats on our lunch break.

We ended the day by attending a Columbus Crew soccer game against Nashville in Downtown Columbus.While the game ended in a draw, it was fun to compare our American soccer team to the Norwegian soccer team that plays in Oslo.

References
Department of Economic and Social affairs. (n.d.). Transforming our world: The 2030 agenda for sustainable development. United Nations. https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda

My clinical day at New Albany Primary was extremely fun. I attended an Entrepreneur Fest hosted by 3rd graders at New Albany Schools. Students developed and marketed small businesses by selling items like 3D-printed Croc charms or running activity booths like Plinko. Each class throughout the school visited the booths using pre-purchased tickets, creating a fun, school-wide marketplace functioning on donations. The event raised over $25,000, all donated to various charities chosen by the school. Beyond fundraising, this initiative taught children the foundations of creativity, business, and emphasized social interactions.

On a separate day, we volunteered at the NNEMAP Food Pantry in Columbus. We assisted in stocking shelves, packing grocery bags, and preparing for distribution. Families received pre-packed bags containing fruit, drinks, dairy, pasta, protein, and vegetables. The pantry also offers a delivery service for families without transportation, many of whom are part of Columbus’ growing immigrant population. The food pantry focuses on serving underprivileged families facing food insecurity as a whole offering additional services such as where to find health care, addiction care, pregnancy services, etc. in various areas in the community.

At the pantry, we were met with diverse cultural backgrounds and language barriers. Despite this, you could sense such a feeling of community support. The school event also reflected cultural diversity through the creativity and charity choices students made, some supporting global causes, others focusing on local needs.

Related Sustainable Development Goals. These two experiences connected with several SDGs:

• SDG 1: No Poverty: By raising money for charities and supporting food-insecure families, both settings worked toward reducing poverty.
• SDG 2: Zero Hunger: The food pantry directly addresses hunger and nutrition needs in the community.
• SDG 4: Quality Education: The Entrepreneur Fest helped encourage experiential learning and skill-building in youth.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: Both experiences supported underserved populations, whether through access to food or opportunities for all students to participate and contribute.

One key takeaway was seeing how even third graders can be social innovators. Their entrepreneurial spirit not only raised a significant donation but also reinforced how education can shape socially conscious leaders. At a young age they get to experience innovating an idea, bringing it to life, marketing it, and then selling it. At the pantry, I was moved by how much of the community is served and thoughtful the distribution system was, especially the delivery service, which showed a commitment to equity and access for all.

Today, our Community Health clinical took us to All People’s Fresh Market on the south side of Columbus. It was the first day our Norwegian peers were able to join us in serving our Columbus community! The market is run by the United Methodist Church & Community Development for All People. They partner with Mid-Ohio Food Collective to deliver over two million dollars’ worth of food every year to populations in need of food assistance. They focus on providing fresh fruits and vegetables. The day started off with setting up the food in the market to get ready for opening. Some of us were helping patrons gather their food supplies and restocking the foods. Grace, Evelyn, Ashley, and I started off running the drive-thru of the market. Putting our nursing skills to the forefront, the market featured a table where we were offering free blood pressure and glucose checks. For lunch, I got to stop by Bake Me Happy. The bakery serves delicious gluten free treats, many of which I have not had in a long time. It was so delicious.

One health concern identified is food insecurity. The market ensures that those experiencing food insecurities have access to fresh fruits and vegetables for healthy eating. Regardless of why anybody was at the market, there was a shared respect for food. Food is important for families and their traditions. There were some language barriers, but Google Translate helped immensely in bridging any of those gaps. The market connects with Goal 2 of the United Nations’ sustainable goals: Zero Hunger. My biggest takeaway today is realizing that food insecurity does not discriminate. There were people from all backgrounds utilizing the resources of the market. The community I witnessed today was powerful!