ATSU-CHC students, faculty, staff assemble and donate summer activity kits for children in need
Posted: June 26, 2025
A.T. Still University-College for Healthy Communities (ATSU-CHC) Central Coast Physician Assistant (CCPA) program students, faculty, and staff recently participated in a community outreach project to assemble and donate 100 summer activity kits to children on the California Central Coast.
The kits were delivered to CALM for distribution to their clients in Santa Maria, California. CALM is a community-based mental health agency with a mission to prevent childhood trauma, heal children and families, and build resilient communities throughout Santa Barbara County.
Kits were carefully assembled with age-appropriate items for CALM clients ranging from infants to teens, and each one includes a handwritten card of encouragement from the ATSU-CHC student who assembled it.
The kits are a direct way for the students at ATSU to spread joy, promote connection, and encourage creativity and play for CALM clients during the less structured summer months. CALM clinicians will distribute the kits directly to their clients in Santa Maria to enjoy throughout the season.
“These kits are more than just fun summer activities. They’re a reminder to our clients that they are seen, supported, and cared for,” said Shelby McLean, development manager at CALM. “We are so grateful to the students and faculty at A.T. Still University for their compassion, creativity, and commitment to our community’s wellbeing.”
To learn more about CALM, visit calm4kids.org.
