Beacon Health System launches food relief collaborative for community members
Beacon Health System today announced a food relief collaborative to address food insecurity in our region and ensure community members have access to food assistance. The initiative responds to growing challenges many families face in accessing nutritious meals, including those impacted by recent federal changes affecting support programs like SNAP through partnerships with regional food assistance organizations.
Starting next week, Community Hospital of Bremen, Elkhart General Hospital and Memorial Hospital of South Bend will offer multiple forms of food assistance to serve families in the region. These hospitals will distribute hundreds of premade or frozen meals to members of our community on a first come, first served basis. Memorial Hospital and Elkhart General Hospital are also launching on-site food pantries stocked with non-perishable items.
Community members seeking more information can visit this page.
“Our mission calls us to connect with heart, and that means showing up when people need us most. Recent changes to food assistance programs are creating a hardship for many families in our community, some within our own Beacon family,” said Kreg Gruber, Chief Executive Officer, Beacon Health System. “The moment we learned of this need, we began organizing a response. This is what we do at Beacon. We look out for our people. We look out for our community. It’s simply the right thing to do, and it’s in times like this that we can collectively step up to make further impact in people’s lives.”
Through partnerships with Cultivate Food Rescue, the Food Bank of Northern Indiana, Gordon Food Service, and other vendors, Beacon will distribute hundreds of meals per week at these hospital locations. Cultivate Food Rescue alone will provide 1,200 meals per week to Memorial Hospital and Elkhart General Hospital. Food drives at various locations across Beacon will encourage community participation and prioritize accessibility while maintaining dignity and confidentiality for participants.
Beacon is also publishing a county-by-county directory of food assistance resources at Beaconhealthsystem.org. The directory serves as a centralized resource listing food pantries, meal programs and assistance options available in every county where Beacon operates hospitals in northern Indiana and southwest Michigan, connecting community members with our Beacon programs and trusted partner organizations across the region.
“At Beacon, our community benefit commitment extends beyond the walls of our hospitals,” said Kimberly Green Reeves, Vice President, Community Impact & Partnerships, Beacon Health System. “Addressing food insecurity is central to improving the overall health and well-being of the people we serve. Through this initiative, we are ensuring that our associates and neighbors have access to nutritious meals when they need them most. By working with trusted partner organizations, we’re not only responding to an immediate need, but we are also building a more connected, compassionate and resilient community.”
Beacon associates will have opportunities to volunteer at each hospital hub for food pantry drives and meal preparation, as well as at food rescue sites and local food pantries. Funding for meal purchases and pantry operations is being provided by the Beacon Health Foundation and Beacon Community Impact teams, with resources allocated to specific campuses and initiatives as needed. The Beacon Health Foundation is also coordinating opportunities for community donations to support the ongoing effort.
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