MGH Institute Volunteers Hit the Streets to Serve with a Purpose

Sean Hennessey

Date

September 13, 2025

Topics

Area of Expertise

Community IMPACT Day involves more than 600 volunteers; nearly 40 organizations assisted

Adorned in bright pink t-shirts with “Community IMPACT Day” emblazoned on the back and the school name and logo on the front, hundreds of student, staff and faculty volunteers from the MGH Institute of Health Professions fanned out across Charlestown, East Boston, and Newton to give back and leave the community a little better than they found it.

It’s the tradition of Community IMPACT Day, and the 13th annual event didn’t deviate.

Inside the Ronald McDonald House in the Charlestown Navy Yard, students worked together to cook tacos for families in need – smiles and laughs were aplenty as they split the tasks of chopping, rinsing, cooking, and assembling the meals.

“It's helpful to the greater community because we’re sharing our ability to cook,” said Emma Regacio. DPT ’28. “We get a good sense of what the community is like here, and how we can reach out on your own.”

On this day, the efforts were more than appreciated by those on the receiving end.

“We are very grateful for entire team being here, because we strictly run off of volunteers like yourselves,” said Olivia Brooks, director of family-centered care at the Ronald McDonald House. “We always say food is the love language of our house here, and families will absolutely agree with me when I say that, so we are very grateful to have a delicious home-cooked meal for our families to enjoy today."

Down the street at the Navy Yard’s Courageous Sailing center, students cleaned the outside of the building along with its windows.

“I think Community IMPACT Day directly relates to how we're going to work in the healthcare fields,” observed Bethany Dudley, PA ’27. “Down the road, we have to interact with people across different disciplines.”

And that’s the whole idea. Bringing together different experiences and educational backgrounds where students can learn from each other is what interprofessional education is all about. Because team-based care results in better patient outcomes, interprofessional education is a hallmark of the Institute. Having students participate in a day of service incorporating teamwork is most appropriate in their IHP educational career.

Nearby at the Harvard-Kent Elementary School, some volunteer crews from various programs spent the morning painting and cleaning the outdoor areas while others exercised with students while teaching them physical well-being.

“Community IMPACT Day gets you involved with the community you will be serving,” observed Taryn Randall Marquis, DEN ’28.

That’s a key piece of what the day is about, said Emily Venskytis, Director of Clinical Education for the Audiology program.

“For students, it's really great to connect with students from other programs,” Venskytis noted, “but what’s really great is for them to see the importance of giving back to the community and being part of the community that you live and work in.”

This was the 13th year of Community IMPACT Day; this year, nearly 600 students, faculty and staff volunteers combined forces to help more than 30 Greater Boston organizations.

One of those organizations was Eastie Farm, an urban farm in East Boston that’s also a grassroots organization focusing on climate change activism and solutions. On this day, students were gardening and laying a new floor of mulch so that visitors and those with disabilities would have an easier time navigating the grounds.

“I feel like we got a really fun placement,” said Maygan Nordling DEN, ’28. “I feel like whenever you think of Boston, you don't think of a garden in the middle of the city, but I feel like it's really important to collaborate with our peers and learn about the food scarcity and food insecurity in Boston and big cities and how it plays a role in people's health and community.”

“We get to experience being with other members of the care team — it’s not just the nurses,” said Nadia Mensah, ABSN ‘26. “We have the SLPs, OTs, PTs, genetic counseling. We have everyone in here, so it's good to have that interprofessional collaboration.”

Genetic counseling student Lydia Sandoval ’27 loved the interprofessional aspect of the day, and the giving back.

“For me, this is really important,” reflected Sandoval. “I'm excited to do this because it's something I want to do, especially as a healthcare professional; we have to contribute back to the community.”

Yesterday’s contribution helped keep Eastie Farms from being derailed from its mission.

“When we have projects like this facing us, it sort of throws a wrench in the machinery — a lot of critical things have to stop for us to do be able to complete them,” said Joel Seidner, Eastie Farm Program Manager, noting his small staff. “Groups like these MGH Institute students coming in and completing a large amount of work in a short amount of time is an incredible help to us.

A group of people with shovels work to spread mulch — MGH Institute students representing various programs work together in laying down mulch at Eastie Farms, an urban farm, during Community IMPACT Day.

A woman uses a wheelbarrow to move mulch — Lydia Sandoval, GC ’27 gets ready to dump a wheelbarrow full of mulch as she and her colleagues worked in an urban farm in East Boston.

Two women on a beach pick up trash — Maeve Hogan, ABSN ’26 (l) places debris into garbage bag held by Kate Manganaro, DPT ’28. The duo helped clean Constitution Beach in East Boston as part of Community IMPACT Day.

A woman holds a large piece of plastic and a garbage bag on a beach — Kyra Ernst, PA ’27, cleans up large piece of plastic on East Boston’s Constitution Beach during Community IMPACT Day.

Ten people in pink shirts post for the camera — The Center for Interprofessional Education and Practice team consisted of: (l to r): Assistant Dean of Interprofessional Education Midge Hobbs, Assistant Dean for Interprofessional Practice Rachel Pittmann, Lead Client Services Coordinator Ling Hui (Jenny) Loh, Simulated Participant Program Manager Tony Williams, Simulation Program Assistant Rina Lara, Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs and Dean for Interprofessional Education and Practice Regina Doherty, Interprofessional Education and Practice Operations Manager Yolanda Mendez Rainey, Assistant Professor Rebecca Inzana, Senior Simulation Operations Specialist Eliana Palumbo, and Client Services Coordinator Lindsay McCabe.

People wearing pink shirts stand around a kitchen island — Students made home-cooked meals for the Ronald McDonald House.

Two women cleaning a room with desks chairs and computers — Jasmine Perez (l), from the ABSN program, and Nicole Pino (r) clean the computer room at the Boys & Girls Club in Charlestown.

A woman cleans headphones attached to a keyboard — Milly Canela, a first-year student in the PA program, cleans earphones in the music room of the Boys and Girls Club in Charlestown.

A group of people pose in front of a backdrop that says Cradles to Crayons — The MGH Institute Cradles to Crayons team after sorting an estimated 3,500 pieces of clothing during Community IMPACT Day service work.

Four people handle clothes on a table — (l to r) Shannon Creamer, ABSN ‘ 27, Morgan Lashinsky OTD ’28, Matthew Richa, DEN ‘ 28, and Zenshia Baker Dunn, DEN, ’28 sort clothes at Cradles to Crayons during Community IMPACT Day.

A group listens to someone talking while standing in a greenhouse — The group receives instruction on the work they will be doing at the Dudley Greenhouse in Roxbury, a project that came out of years of community organizing efforts led by The Dudley Street Neighborhood Association.

Several people work over gardening beds in a greenhouse — Students from the MGH Institute worked in the gardens that neighborhood residents and community groups use to grow produce in the greenhouse for the benefit of the Dudley neighborhood.

Six people pose for the camera next to tables and chairs outside — The Office of the Provost was well represented at Community IMPACT Day (From l to r): Associate Provost for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Kevin Finn, Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs and Dean for Interprofessional Education and Practice Regina Doherty, Office of the Provost Executive Assistant and Project Specialist Ellen Foley, Director of Academic Operations Heather Easter, Christin Bushardt, and Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs Reamer Bushardt.

A group of women poses while standing in a row — (l-r) Kyla Hartwell OT, Teddy Cinella DEN, Julia Gallo DEN, Mary Stewart PT, Brenda Duverneau ABSN, Sabrina Branco ABSN, Anastasia Ferrara SLP, Madison Hardiman PA worked on organizational projects at Cambridge Camping, which provides meaningful and inspiring experiences to children from urban and under-resourced circumstances in supportive and inclusive summer camp and school year out-of-school time communities.

Eight people stand in a kitchen wearing pink shirts — Students served brunch (pancakes and yogurt parfait) and played trivia games with residents at St. Cecilia's House.

People put items on shelves and bins — A team from the MGH Institute organized a closet at Harvard-Kent.

A few miles away, Constitution Beach in East Boston’s Orient Heights section was getting spruced up by students who enjoyed working with fresh faces.

“It's great to be able to give back to the community and also to work together with members of other cohorts and groups that we don't usually get to work closely with,” said Maeve Hogan, ABSN ’26. “So, it's been great to build that community and also give back to the community.”

A community beach that needed some attention.

“I picked up some razor blades and I thought that was pretty dangerous,” said a surprised Noshin Nahar, DEN ’28. “So, creating a safer environment for people definitely helps keep the beaches safe and clean.”

“It's a pretty clean beach but when you really get looking, you see a lot of glass, cigarette butts, a lot of stuff that I feel like you wouldn't normally see if you were just walking the beach,” observed Kate Manganaro, DPT ’28. “When you take a closer look, you really see some things that could be dangerous to people walking the beach.”

Over in Newton, a team of 17 MGH Institute volunteers spent the morning sorting clothes at Cradles to Crayons, an organization dedicated to providing for families in need.

“I think it's really rewarding,” reflected Morgan Lashinsky OTD ’28. “I think it's good to give back to individuals, and I think helping others that are in need is something that everyone should be able to do.”

During their service, the team sorted through an estimated 3,500 pieces of children’s clothing.

“Honestly, it’s a privilege and an honor to be here to help out kids who are in need of clothes, especially with the winter season coming around,” said Matthew Richa, DEN ‘28. “I'm also happy to get to know new people and meet new people.”

“Today is an opportunity first, to support the community and second to provide extra hands to organizations that are doing great work,” summarized Kim Mace, Community IMPACT Day group leader and director of the Online Prerequisites and Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences Programs. “It’s also a wonderful chance to really work interprofessionally and see how much more work we can accomplish when we're all working together toward the same goal.”

On this day, 623 volunteers comprising 64 teams helped 39 sites – an incredibly successful day in the eyes of so many, including Midge Hobbs, the assistant dean for interprofessional education who organizes IMPACT Day with a dedicated team of staff and faculty.

“It exemplified the spirit of collaboration and adaptability that are essential to healthcare, and which we aim to foster throughout the IMPACT series,” noted Hobbs. “Through these shared service opportunities, students also learn the importance of connecting with others, building relationships beyond the classroom, and giving back to the communities they will serve as health professionals. As I say every year, it truly takes a village to bring Community IMPACT Day to life!”

Hobbs’ village includes: Operations Manager Yolanda Mendez Rainey; Executive Assistant and Project Specialist Ellen Foley; Project Manager for Academic Affairs Lauren Talbourdet; Director of Academic Operations Heather Easter; Assistant Professor Jane Baldwin; Director of Community Engagement Pat Reidy; IMPACT Peer Facilitator Lead Rachel Rubin; Education/Community Outreach Coordinator of Tedy's Team Center of Excellence in Stroke Recovery Gwen Larsen; and Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs and Dean for Interprofessional Education and Practice Regina Doherty.

Back in Charlestown, blankets were being crafted for the elderly in the Robert A. Georgine Towers.

“It’s nice to really engage and see how other people think and other departments approach a situation,” said Maya Croissant, OTD ’28. “It is also nice to go out into the community. That is just the cherry on top.”

“I don't think they'll forget this kind of experience,” said group leader and nursing professor Brenna Morse. “We're not a hospital clinic but we're doing something that is therapeutic in a different way and connecting with people that they'll really remember. You know, aging is not easy. It's very lonely. So, to come do this is really nice for that.”

At the Boys & Girls Club, students were cleaning various rooms and learning about what goes on in the rooms they were cleaning. As they walked on the tour, they cleaned the railings on the stairs with one of the Boys and Girls Club people commenting that it was the “best wiped down they have had in a long time.”

“The IHP students had the opportunity to learn more about the impactful services of the Boys & Girl's Club of Charlestown while also contributing to the organization by cleaning and sanitizing surfaces in their two buildings,” said group leader Laura Plummer, dean of the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. “The Boys & Girls Club is over 130 years old and provides critical supports to foster a more equitable future for 6-18 years growing up in Boston.”

Nearby, an interprofessional team created several age-appropriate curriculum guides and worksheets for elementary school students and teachers who would be visiting three public art installations in the Navy Yard that focus on inviting the community to reflect on connection, inclusivity, and the natural world.

“I was so impressed by the talent of our first-year students who teamed together to create an innovative, fun, interactive, evidence based, developmentally appropriate, and highly inclusive activity for local school aged children,” said group leader Regina Doherty, associate provost for Faculty Affairs and Dean for Interprofessional Education and Practice. “Our students really are amazing! Whether they painted walls, picked up trash, created educational resources, sorted donations, or made meals with seniors, their can-do attitudes and commitment to the IHP mission was highly visible across the city of Boston today.

"A big shout out of thanks to the Community Impact Day committee, the Office of the Provost staff, the Center for Interprofessional Education and Practice, and of course our orchestra conductors, Midge Hobbs and Yolanda Mendez Rainey, who make this extraordinary day possible."

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