In the ongoing collaboration between Long Island Cares and Catholic Health, a program aimed at addressing food insecurity among patients has shown significant progress since its soft launch in the summer of 2022. The initiative began by identifying and providing nutritious, nonperishable meals to food-insecure patients at Catholic Health hospitals’ emergency wards. To further assist those in need, the hospital staff included contact information for Long Island Cares in the “to-go” bags.
During the initial year, 100 bags were distributed, totaling 900 meals for individuals facing food insecurity. The program gained momentum in 2023, receiving a boost from a $50,000 grant from National Grid. Last year, the collaborative effort distributed 518 bags, providing 4,662 meals to those in need.
Long Island Cares, dedicated to feeding hungry individuals with culturally relevant and nutritious food, found an essential partner in Catholic Health. The collaboration is motivated by several factors, including the understanding that individuals facing food insecurity are at a higher risk of accelerated disease when consuming calorically dense, nutritionally depleted foods. Moreover, this population is more prone to chronic conditions, and persistent food insecurity is linked to various health issues such as diabetes, stroke, hypertension, obesity, hepatitis, cancer, asthma, arthritis, COPD, and kidney disease. Additionally, seniors experiencing food insecurity incur an average of 11 percent higher healthcare costs.
Catholic Health’s commitment to addressing these serious health concerns goes beyond the distribution of food bags in emergency rooms. The organization has expanded its involvement to include virtually all service operations, encompassing doctor’s offices and collaborating with 2,700 physician partners to enhance the program’s reach.
