Temple University is host to hundreds of student-led organizations, but Project HEAL is a hidden gem among them.
Project HEAL is a national nonprofit organization based in New York. They have chapters at different cities and universities, including our very own Temple University.
The national organization accepts donations towards breaking down insurance and financial barriers for eating disorder recoveries. They have four programs that they’ve sent their participants through, including clinical assessment programs, treatment placement programs, cash assistance programs, and insurance navigation programs.
I sat down with Liz Knight, a senior public health major and the president of Project HEAL at Temple, to find out more about the group’s role on campus.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
Gianna Voges: What motivated you to start this chapter?
Liz Knight: I just found that between talking to my peers and taking classes in public health, disordered eating or struggles with body image was so prevalent on campus, but I didn’t see anything really happening for it.
I joined a couple of clubs, but I felt like I couldn’t find a safe space to talk about that specific topic so I founded the chapter. I found Project HEAL when looked up eating disorder awareness clubs on different campuses.
GV: Does Project HEAL have a target audience? Who would you say that is?
It’s for any student that’s looking for a safe space to talk about body image issues and eating habits in college. It’s open to anyone who would like to join.
GV: What resources does Project HEAL offer as an overall organization, and specifically here at Temple?
Our chapter has general body meetings as a safe space to talk. We also offer mindfulness events and bonding events to sit and talk and get our minds off of everything.
We also have guest speakers come in and talk about body image issues, and how they overcame it.
We also have fundraising events, where we fundraise for the main Project HEAL organization.
There’s volunteer opportunities, like Be Body Positive Philly, a nonprofit organization, where members go to high schools and do eating disorder prevention programs as an after school program.
GV: What type of activities does Temple’s chapter put on and why do you choose these?
I chose mindfulness events mainly because I wanted to have a good balance between talking about the specifics of what our club is, but also just sitting and talking about anything that we want.
I like to pick out the strengths of everyone on the executive board. For example, another girl and I like jewelry making, so every semester we do a jewelry making event, it’s a fun way to sit and get your mind off of everything and is a way to practice mindfulness and intuition.
We also do workshops, like an intuitive eating event and we talk about what intuitive eating means, how it might be helpful for college students eating on campus, regarding stress and stigmatizing with eating.
GV: What would you describe the goal of Project HEAL as and how do you want to transfer that goal on to Temple’s campus?
My goal was to help the student body feel comfortable with maintaining neutral eating habits and a neutral relationship with food and bodies. I think there’s a lot of stereotypes and stigma surrounding exercise, over exercising, and around food and eating.
I really just wanted to create a safe space to not only remind people but also talk about how that’s a real thing, and it doesn’t have to be real. It’s not worth it to put your body through that just to look a certain way. So my goal is to help the student body, who either needs it or don’t know if they need it, to help them gain a better relationship with themselves.
GV: Why do you think it’s important for students to have a resource like Project HEAL on campus, as opposed to the other resources that Temple already offers?
I really like how we’re peer led, it’s run all by students and creates more of a community aspect to it. I really like community led programs, we’re all able to relate on a certain level because we’re all in the same boat. I think that creates a different aspect than other programs on campus.
Project HEAL is a valuable resource to have on any college campus, and students have the opportunity to join it here at Temple. Students can go onto Owl Connect and join through their email. Their Instagram also sends out reminders of meeting dates and times.