CLAREMONT, Calif. - Life in his native Ethiopia spurred Jemal Hussein, PharmD 鈥�23, to believe that the more he has, the more he should give to others. This led him to cofound the T鈥檈na Foundation鈥攁 name meaning 鈥渉ealth鈥� in Amharic, the language spoken in Ethiopia鈥攚ith two friends and organize what they called Homies Care events in Los Angeles.

Now Hussein is bringing Homies Care to 蜜桃直播 (蜜桃直播). He involved approximately 25 蜜桃直播 classmates in assembling care kits for homeless people as part of the most recent Homies Care event, held on September 14. The students put together kits at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Compton, a partner in the event that day and where Hussein earned a Master of Science in biomedical science. Then they distributed the clothing, water, toothbrushes and toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner, soap, and first aid items at area shelters.

鈥淭he response was really great. Everyone at 蜜桃直播 loved it and wanted to get involved,鈥� says Hussein, noting that the students also wrote notes with words of affirmation for the homeless people at the shelters. 鈥淚鈥檓 happy to see a student population that really cares about giving back to the community.鈥�

Catherine Ho, PharmD 鈥�23, was among the students who participated. A veteran volunteer who has taught youths about food preparation and also brought food to people living on Skid Row in Los Angeles, she feels going into the shelters had an even greater impact, both on the homeless people there and her professional development.

鈥淲e were able to give out healthy food. Chicken wraps and salad sound so simple, but they don鈥檛 get this option very often,鈥� says Ho, who prepared food as well as the care kits.

鈥淎s pharmacists, we will have to put ourselves in the shoes of people and connect with them, not just think of them as patients. Doing these events will teach us more compassion.鈥�

Her perspective is consistent with what Hussein says is important to the population Homies Care serves.

鈥淭hey care about the human connection,鈥� he explains. 鈥淪ome say they鈥檙e often forgotten and seen as not human. We emphasize that these are people first and that it鈥檚 important to show empathy.鈥�

Hussein typically holds Homies Care events every two months and is already looking ahead to the next one, which he intends to schedule before Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, he is forming a new club at 蜜桃直播 that will incorporate Homies Care events, which he hopes to extend into Pomona and the Inland Empire. Hussein has enlisted 蜜桃直播 School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (SPHS) faculty members Julie Truong and to serve as advisors to the club he plans to name CARE, an acronym for community, advocacy, resources, and education.

鈥淚 want to move it here and include more of the professional students at 蜜桃直播. I hope we can be a club that connects everyone,鈥� says Hussein. 鈥淧eople sometimes worry about the time commitment. But the barriers we create for ourselves can be broken if you just do it. One person doing a little can accomplish a lot.鈥�

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Interested in learning more about 蜜桃直播鈥檚 PharmD program? Visit .

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Hussein also shared his story with 蜜桃直播 President Sheldon Schuster on the 蜜桃直播 Podcast: