Florida Blue Foundation awards additional
$3.3 million to support community
programs that are improving access to healthy foods and providing
nutrition support
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Oct. 4, 2023
/PRNewswire/ -- Florida Blue Foundation, the philanthropic
affiliate for the state's Blue Cross Blue Shield plan, announced it
is awarding $3.3 million in grants to
nine community-based programs across the state to improve access to
healthy food in food deserts and other rural communities where
Floridians have limited access to affordable, healthy food
options.
The latest funding brings the total investment in food security
programs from Florida Blue Foundation to more than $14.5 million over the last four years.
"We know that hunger and malnutrition can have detrimental
impacts on people's health and well-being," said GuideWell and
Florida Blue President and CEO
Pat Geraghty. "Supporting
organizations that improve access to affordable, healthy food
allows us better serve our communities and provide people with more
opportunities to live a healthy life."
The nine nonprofit organizations receiving the funding from the
Florida Blue Foundation will use the grants for community-based
food security initiatives that not only provide access to
nutritional food but address obstacles to food security in their
communities.
"By supporting programs that make healthy food more accessible
and affordable in communities across our state, the Florida Blue
Foundation and our partners are meaningfully improving the health
and well-being of children, families, and communities," said
Susan Towler, executive director of
Florida Blue Foundation.
The nine organizations receiving grants include:
- FBH Community, Inc (Volusia
County) – The FBH Community plans to provide fresh
fruits and vegetable boxes and host health fairs for people living
in Midtown, Daytona, a food desert that has also been identified as
one of Florida's poorest ZIP codes.
- Police Athletic League of Jacksonville (Duval County) – The families of the
children in PAL's educational programs, will receive fresh produce
delivered to their homes as well as nutrition education to teach
families how to cook and prepare fresh produce.
- UCOM UrbanServ, Inc. (Duval
County) – This program provides meal deliveries to older
adults with limited or no access to transportation. The grant will
allow the organization to expand the program by adding more healthy
choices as well as education and support to ensure the food is easy
to prepare.
- Regional Food Bank of Northeast
Florida, Inc. - Feeding Northeast Florida
(Duval County) – The Mobile
Market Program brings healthy food to residents in food insecure
areas, allowing them to choose their own healthy foods right in
their own neighborhood.
- United Against Poverty (Indian River County) – United Against
Poverty will expand its grocery program by adding refrigerated
trucks, which will allow the program to expand its reach and
distribution throughout the south and central regions of the
state.
- Chapman Partnership, Inc. (Miami-Dade County) – Through Chapman
Partnership and Feeding South Florida, the Healthy You program will
provide nutrition education as well as hot meals, healthy snacks
and food vouchers to men, women and children experiencing
homelessness.
- Treasure Coast Food Bank Incorporated (St. Lucie County) – Market Fresh on the
Move is a mobile grocery store on wheels that serves low-income
families living in food deserts and food insecure communities.
- Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida, Inc. (Lee County) – Harry Chapin Food Bank's
Mobile Market Program directly serves those in a five-county area
who are food-insecure and face transportation barriers through a
mobile, refrigerated, one-aisle grocery store.
- Well Incorporated (Hillsborough County) – In partnership with
the Coalition of Community Gardens, the Well will expand its
program into the university area. The program trains community
members on how to build home gardens, and host community events
designed to distribute food, and educate neighbors on food
production, and healthy meal preparation.
The latest investments come as Florida Blue Foundation continues
to build on a multi-year initiative around food security solutions,
which includes strengthening food infrastructure and systems across
Florida; promoting direct service for families for healthy food
access; and working with partner organizations throughout the
state.
Since 2020, Florida Blue Foundation's food security grantees
have provided over 181 million meals to Floridians experiencing
food insecurity.
About Florida Blue Foundation
Florida Blue Foundation enables healthy communities by making
grants, building coalitions and embracing solutions that create a
meaningful impact in our communities. More than 8 million
Floridians have received services as a result of our community
investments since our founding in 2001. Florida Blue Foundation is
committed to improve health equity by impacting food security,
advancing mental well-being, growing healthy communities, and
addressing health disparities. Florida Blue Foundation is a trade
name of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation, Inc.,
an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
For more information, please
visit www.FloridaBlueFoundation.com.
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SOURCE Florida Blue Foundation
