September is Hunger Action Month, a time to raise awareness of food insecurity and its impact on health. Food insecurity is a complex community health issue, and addressing it often requires more than one solution.
Across Ascension Wisconsin, teams are working with food banks and other community organizations and philanthropic partners to connect individuals and families with nutritious food and resources that support their health. These efforts are tailored to the needs of local communities and may include food distribution, meal delivery, nutrition education, and programs that connect patients with food resources.
Access to nutritious food is an important part of overall health. When people don't have reliable access to enough food, it can be harder to manage chronic conditions, maintain a healthy pregnancy, support children's development, and take medications as prescribed. Food insecurity can also contribute to stress and other challenges that affect health and well-being. Addressing food insecurity is one way healthcare organizations and community partners can help address factors outside the healthcare setting that influence health.
Ascension Wisconsin is proud to work with local organizations who help supply food to those who need it most in our communities. Some of those local efforts include:
- Ascension Ebenezer Health Resource Center and Food Pantry, which is located within Ebenezer Ministry and Family Worship Center in Milwaukee. The Center has highly experienced registered nurses, nurse practitioners and community health workers dedicated to caring for people who are struggling. Our shared goal is to improve healthcare access, health education, health screening and deliver compassionate, personalized care. Ascension Ebenezer Health Resource Center and Food Pantry, in partnership with Hunger Task Force saw more than 3,000 patient encounters within the last year.
- Senior Stock Boxes provide monthly food staples, such as shelf-stable milk, vegetables, fruits and canned protein sources to eligible people aged 60 and older in Milwaukee and Racine. This initiative also offers participants preventive health screenings for blood pressure and glucose. The program currently serves seniors at Ascension All Saints, Ascension St. Joseph and Ascension St. Francis Hospitals and served nearly 720 older adults in the last year.
- Ascension Elmbrook and Ascension Calumet Hospitals operate community gardens. At Ascension Elmbrook, several harvests throughout the summer and fall allowed the team to donate fresh produce to the Food Pantry Serving Waukesha County, which can feed up to 500 families per week. At Ascension Calumet, garden plots are available to local residents and community groups to use for free; additionally, the hospital gives away fresh produce from the community garden to hospital patients and visitors.
- Ascension Mercy supports individuals recovering from substance use disorders at Nova Counseling Services by donating prepackaged food items, feeding an average of 50 people each week.
