Sentara Healthcare gifts $500,000 to Federation of Virginia Food Banks

A partnership amongst Sentara Healthcare and the Federation of Virginia Foods Banking companies will strengthen overall health outcomes via larger accessibility to balanced food items and nutrition protection sources.

Sentara Healthcare’s gift of a $500,000 grant, according to a press release, will align all 7 Feeding The usa food stuff financial institutions in Virginia in a shared eyesight, the “Boundless Collaboration for Health Equity” initiative.

In the following 3 decades, the initiative will change the charitable food process with the establishment of a “healthy pantry” community. The initiative will also boost nourishment ranking techniques and foods sourcing insurance policies at food stuff banking institutions, bolster screening and referral partnerships with healthcare vendors, and create a information-sharing platform.

“The voices of our neighbors have been at the heart of this initiative since the earliest levels,” Federation of Virginia Food stuff Banking institutions Govt Director Eddie Oliver said in the push launch. “With partners like Sentara Healthcare, we can greater invest in nutritious food items currently and split the cycle of nourishment insecurity and serious disorder.”

The federation supports 7 foodstuff financial institutions in Virginia and Washington, D.C. with setting up partnerships, securing resources, sharing knowledge and boosting consciousness of meals insecurity in the course of the Commonwealth. In 2021, the seven foods banking companies distributed 199 million lbs of food stuff through 1,340 agency companions. The federation serves close to 1 million people every year.

“Access to healthy food items is necessary for folks to thrive by mitigating disorders like diabetic issues, coronary heart ailment and most cancers. By doing work with our trusted food financial institution associates, we are fully commited to receiving wholesome meals to just about every table,” Sherry Norquist, Director of Local community Engagement and Impression at Sentara Health care, stated in the press launch. “Through our partnership with the Federation of Virginia Meals Banking companies, we have joined together to encourage equitable access to balanced foods for all.”

The grant funding from Sentara Healthcare will also permit the federation to launch a statewide consciousness marketing campaign through September to help Starvation Action Thirty day period. The marketing campaign will aim on higher consciousness of the effects of nourishment insecurity on Virginia households and make it possible for member meals financial institutions to fundraise and deploy a lot more methods into communities most significantly impacted by weak foodstuff obtain.