Cleveland, OH,
11
August
2022
|
13:39 PM
America/New_York

MetroHealth to Provide One Million Healthy Meals to the Community with $1 Million Donation to Greater Cleveland Food Bank

The MetroHealth System will provide more than one million healthy meals free to the community in partnership with the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.

MetroHealth will contribute $1 million to the Food Bank over the next five years to help provide these meals to patients and neighbors in Cleveland.

“The lack of access to nutritious food is a major barrier to good health for our patients and neighbors, particularly those who live in food deserts,” said MetroHealth President and CEO Akram Boutros, MD, FACHE. “This support will allow us to augment the invaluable services the Food Bank already provides and make an important difference in the lives of thousands of our neighbors who need our support.”

“We are so grateful to MetroHealth for this incredible gift and for our ongoing partnership helping to provide low-income patients with the healthy food they need” said Kristin Warzocha, president & CEO of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. “We cannot thank Metro enough for its amazing generosity and their commitment to addressing food insecurity. Through this gift, we will be able to provide patients of MetroHealth and members of our shared community with nutritious foods and access to other food resources, helping our community members to thrive.”

MetroHealth has long advocated for the idea that social factors – such as access to healthful food, green space, stable housing, education and transportation – play a far greater role in determining someone’s health than the medical care they receive. MetroHealth will open a new flagship hospital this fall near its Main Campus in Cleveland, and construction is underway on a 12-acre park. The hospital system is also about to offer an additional 100 beds for treatment of behavioral health issues at its hospital in Cleveland Heights.

This donation marks the latest commitment in an ongoing partnership between MetroHealth and the Food Bank. The MetroHealth Mobile Clinic has been providing care every week at the Food Bank’s Euclid Neighborhood Pantry. Services offered there include treatment of common viruses and illnesses, allergies and asthma, minor injuries, skin concerns, chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure, prescription medication refills, sports and school physicals, COVID-19 vaccinations and testing, and referrals to specialists and community resources.

MetroHealth and the Food Bank have also partnered to run Food Clinics at MetroHealth’s Main Campus and Ohio City locations. Eligible patients with specific diet-related health issues can be referred by their physician to the Food Clinics where they can work with a registered dietician to make healthy food selections. In addition, MetroHealth and the Food Bank have partnered to distribute turkeys around the Thanksgiving holiday from MetroHealth Main Campus and Buckeye Health Clinic, helping thousands of families celebrate the holiday.

About The MetroHealth System

Founded in 1837, MetroHealth is leading the way to a healthier you and a healthier community through service, teaching, discovery, and teamwork. Cuyahoga County’s public, safety-net hospital system, MetroHealth meets people where they are, providing care through five hospitals, four emergency departments and more than 20 health centers. Each day, our nearly 9,000 employees focus on providing our community with equitable healthcare — through patient-focused research, access to care, and support services — that seeks to eradicate health disparities rooted in systematic barriers. For more information, visit metrohealth.org.