ATSU leader helps hurricane victims through Project HOPE
Posted: November 16, 2017
Ted Wendel, PhD, senior vice president of university planning, recently traveled to Texas to help hurricane victims. Upon his return, he invited A.T. Still University (ATSU) faculty and staff to take part in a discussion on the importance of helping those in need.
Dr. Wendel discussed his experiences as a volunteer in Katy and Rosenberg, Texas, where he worked with Project Health Opportunities for People Everywhere (HOPE) to bring much-needed health services to victims of Hurricane Harvey. Project HOPE volunteers provided residents with tetanus shots, counseling, pharmaceutical needs, and basic supplies. They also ran community health clinics.
In Dr. Wendel’s experience, simply talking to residents affected by the storm was the most impactful part of the mission. “Everyone had stories, and everyone wanted to share their stories. We all sat and listened, and just listening made a huge impact on those we were helping,” he says.
Dr. Wendel encourages everyone to volunteer with an organization like Project HOPE to fulfill ATSU’s mission to serve the underserved. “Work like this connects who we are as a university and as healthcare professionals to something that is pretty important,” he says.
Project HOPE, established in 1958, is a nonprofit organization that provides lasting solutions to health problems in communities around the world by delivering healthcare professionals and supplies to areas in need.
Dr. Wendel captured this photo of a Project HOPE volunteer bringing joy to a child affected by Hurricane Harvey.