“Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.” -Hippocrates
Starting this June, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle is helping provide that opportunity to select clients of Advance Community Health (ACH), on Rock Quarry Road in Southeast Raleigh.
Food Shuttle has been growing roots in the Southeast Raleigh community since 2014, through the Camden Street Learning Garden. Now, our relationship with residents will grow stronger. Thanks to a partnership with ACH, and a grant from UnitedHealthcare (UHC), Food Shuttle will be supplying food to a new weekly medical Mobile Market over the next six months. This local collaboration is one part of a nationwide UHC initiative, that includes other regions such as Phoenix and Detroit.
Fifty participants and their families will "shop" for free fresh produce and dry goods from the Food Shuttle. In addition, ACH will provide them with consultations, health screenings, and disease monitoring. Food Shuttle's Nutrition Education team will also provide Cooking Matters demonstrations, tastings, recipes, and other resources to facilitate healthier food preparation and eating in the home!
Inter-Faith Food Shuttle believes strongly in fighting hunger with healthy food...not just any food. That’s why over 40% of the food we rescue and distribute is fresh produce. We know that what children eat growing up is critical to how well their brains and bodies develop, and whether they will suffer a lifetime of illness and learning challenges.
"We were honored to partner with UHC and ACH who share similar values and mission," said Food Shuttle Director of Nutrition Education, Jill Brown, MS DTR. “Together, we are empowering participants to manage their health as well as the health of their families, friends, and communities.”
Participants were selected by evaluating health history, physician recommendations, and ultimately the greatest opportunity for improving their health outcomes. The selected families will benefit from further supportive services such as housing assistance, job training, and job placement. Those benefits are in addition to reusable grocery bags filled with produce (15 pounds per week) and dry goods (20 pounds per week) from the Food Shuttle, and medical care through the clinic. It is a holistic, comprehensive approach to individual and familial health.
We know that healthy individuals build healthy families, and healthy families build a healthy community. We are grateful to have the opportunity to collaborate with other partners to improve outcomes for our neighbors in Southeast Raleigh.
Thanks to the support of IFFS donors, almost 7,000 people shop for free each month at our Mobile Markets. Please give today to ensure these important programs remain available.
By Sally Bache, IFFS Administrative Services Manager. Contact: Sally@FoodShuttle.org