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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Natasha Curley
Second Harvest Food Bank
337-224-6308
ncurley@secondharvest.org
Lisa Dimond
Humana Corporate Communications
832-330-4702
ldimond@humana.com
July 23, 2021, Lafayette, LA -- Humana and the company’s philanthropic arm, The Humana Foundation, have
committed more than $750,000 to the Second
Harvest Food Bank for the Makin’ Groceries Mobile Market, which will deploy
to four locations around the Greater Lafayette Area every week. The market will sell nutritious food,
including fresh fruits and vegetables, at very affordable prices in at-risk
communities.
“We call these neighborhoods ‘food deserts,’” said Mobile Market
Manager Kristen Wesley. “Residents and working families often only have corner
gas station markets and fast-food sites to choose from. So, we’re bringing the
grocery store to them every week.”
Food deserts are not unique to South Louisiana, and this local initiative
is designed to replicate the positive nationwide results that Feeding America,
whose network of food banks includes Second Harvest, has had with mobile
grocery stores.
Wesley said, “It helps our communities in so many ways. As much as
possible, we source the produce and other offerings directly from local farmers
and food producers. So, as we are helping to expand grocery options for so
many, the program will also offer vital support to local farms as well.”
“We want the communities we serve to know that we care about their
health as well, and we will also offer cooking demonstrations and education
about nutrition,” added Wesley. “The Makin’ Groceries Mobile Market is about
meeting people where they are, bringing resources directly into local
communities.”
The Mobile Market team can accept EBT/SNAP benefits (food stamps,)
as well as credit/debit cards. Team members will also help residents stretch
their dollars even further by connecting them with other Second Harvest
resources in the area.
Humana and The Humana Foundation have supported the Second Harvest
Food Bank for more than a decade, providing nearly 634,000 meals across South
Louisiana. In the past three years
alone, Humana employees in Louisiana have provided more than 500 hours of
volunteer time to sort food and work in Second Harvest’s Community Kitchen to
help feed neighbors in need.
“Our work with Second Harvest is part of Humana’s Bold Goal to help
improve population health by addressing the social determinants of health,
which are nonmedical risk factors, such as life circumstances and environments,
that can affect a person’s health and well-being,” said Humana Louisiana
Medicare President Matt Berger. “We are
grateful for this opportunity to again work together with Second Harvest to help
improve health outcomes in Lafayette.”
“Humana has historically had a strong
commitment to our many community partners in the state of Louisiana,” said
Humana Medicaid Regional President Tony Mollica. “The Makin’ Groceries Mobile Market
initiative builds upon our longtime relationship with Second Harvest, and we
look forward to working together in Lafayette to help address population health
needs by providing an accessible, affordable option to fresh, nutritious food.”
“The Humana Foundation is proud to be a partner in bringing
access to healthy, affordable produce to rural parishes in the Acadiana region,”
said The Humana Foundation Director of Strategy Advancement Dr. Brandy Kelly
Pryor. “Food security is integral to whole person health, and we know that
these mobile markets will make a meaningful impact on the health of the
communities they serve.”
“There are no shortcuts to
solving hunger, and this is a long-term project for us,” according to Second
Harvest Regional Director Paul Scelfo. “Across Acadiana, 1 in 5 families is at
risk of hunger, and 1 in 3 children live in poverty. So many hard-working
families find themselves traveling many miles just to get to a decent grocery
store, something most of us take for granted. And it’s even harder for seniors
with limited mobility or no transportation options,” added Scelfo.
The Makin’ Groceries Mobile Market will rotate between locations four
days every week:
Mondays
- 9am- Fightingville Fresh | 315 West
Simcoe St., Lafayette, LA
- 1 pm- Martin Luther King, Jr. Center |
309 Cora St., Lafayette, LA
Tuesdays
- 9am- Macon Street Development | 300
Macon Rd., Lafayette, LA
- 1 pm- Irene Street Development | 1101
Irene St., Lafayette, LA
Wednesdays
- 9am- Martin Luther King, Jr. Center |
309 Cora St., Lafayette, LA
Thursdays
- 9am- C.O. Circle Development | 115
Kattie Dr., Lafayette, LA
- 1 pm- True Vine Ministries | 1555 West
Willow St., Scott, LA
To
learn more, please visit https://no-hunger.org/mobilemarket/
“There are no income or paperwork
requirements for people to shop the low-priced offerings at the Market,” said
Wesley.
“We continue to support hundreds of
local food pantries in community centers, churches, and other partners which
offer food assistance at no cost. Our Mobile Market program will add options
for those residents who are lacking one of the simplest conveniences in life:
Shopping for groceries close to home from a market and people they trust.”
To learn more about Second Harvest
Food Bank, volunteer, or donate, visit www.no-hunger.org. Follow
us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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About Second Harvest Food Bank
Second Harvest Food Bank is an affiliated ministry of the Roman
Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans, a member of Feeding America, and a United
Way Partner Agency. We lead the fight against hunger and building food security
in South Louisiana by providing food access, advocacy, education, and disaster
response. Second Harvest provides food to more than 700 partners and
programs across 23 parishes, from the Mississippi border to the Texas state
line. Together, we make up the largest charitable anti-hunger network in the
state. With our community’s help, we can make food security a reality for every
household in South Louisiana.
To join us in the fight to end hunger, please visit www.no-hunger.org. Follow us
on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/2ndHarvestGNOA; fan us on
Facebook at www.Facebook.com/2ndHarvestGNOA or
Instagram at @2ndHarvestGNOA.
USDA: Second Harvest Food Bank distributes
commodities to eligible, needy families under the Food Bank Program in 23 south
Louisiana parishes. Commodities will be given on a first come, first serve
basis as a part of the normal food package provided by the site. Commodities
can only be given to registered applicants.
About The Humana Foundation
The Humana Foundation was established in 1981 as the philanthropic
arm of Humana Inc., one of the nation’s leading health and well-being
companies. Located in Louisville, Ky., the Foundation seeks to co-create
communities where leadership, culture, and systems work to improve and sustain
positive health outcomes. For more information, visit humanafoundation.org.
Humana and The Humana Foundation are
dedicated to Corporate Social Responsibility. Our goal is to ensure that every
business decision we make reflects our commitment to improving the health and
well-being of our members, our employees, the communities we serve, and our
planet.
About Humana
Humana Inc. is committed to helping
our millions of medical and specialty members achieve their best health. Our
successful history in care delivery and health plan administration is helping
us create a new kind of integrated care with the power to improve health and
well-being and lower costs. Our efforts are leading to a better quality of life
for people with Medicare, families, individuals, military service personnel,
and communities at large.
To accomplish that, we support
physicians and other health care professionals as they work to deliver the
right care in the right place for their patients, our members. Our range of
clinical capabilities, resources and tools – such as in-home care, behavioral
health, pharmacy services, data analytics and wellness solutions – combine to
produce a simplified experience with the goal of making health care easier to
navigate and more effective.
More information regarding Humana is
available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company’s website
at humana.com,
including copies of:
- Annual reports to stockholders
- Securities and Exchange Commission filings
- Most recent investor conference presentations
- Quarterly earnings news releases and
conference calls
- Calendar of events
- Corporate Governance information.
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