Central Virginia Times

Piedmont Virginia Community College Receives $15,000 Sentara Healthcare Grant

The Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) Student Financial Resource Center has been awarded a $15,000 grant from Sentara Healthcare to support the Healthy Choices Initiative. The Healthy Choices Initiative is designed to create sustainable community partnerships around social determinants of health (housing, food security, behavioral health services, skilled career training and equitable access to care).

Funds for this project supported the PVCC Panther Pantry’s enrollment in Fresh Farmacy to allow for the inclusion of more fresh produce and expansion of the Boxes for Break project.

“We are proud to partner with Sentara Healthcare to address food insecurity. Our graduates represent a much-needed talent pipeline for our business and community partners and reducing barriers to student success makes completion oheref a credential or degree possible for students,” shared PVCC President Jean Runyon.

Boxes for Break is an annual effort that benefits current PVCC students and their families over winter break. The boxes provide much needed food and hygiene items for the holiday season. In the inaugural year, PVCC provided more than fifty families with food boxes. This year more than 200 boxes of food and hygiene goods were requested. 

Enrollment in Fresh Farmacy, a partnership between Local Food Hub and area health clinics that prescribes a biweekly supply of fresh fruits and vegetables, grown by Local Food Hub partner farms, will afford expansion of the Panther Pantry’s capacity to serve a growing population of food-insecure students, increase access to healthy food choices and elevate awareness of state and federal resource services. Through the award, PVCC aims to increase the pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables available to students from 60 to 120, serving up to 150 students with fresh produce.

To learn more about the PVCC Student Financial Resource Center visit www.pvcc.edu/student-services/student-financial-resource-center.

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