University of Maryland Medical System Pledges $1.2M To Ease Food Insecurity

3 years ago 423

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — The University of Maryland Medical System is committing $1.2 cardinal to code nutrient insecurity issues successful communities crossed the authorities that are served by the organization’s 13 hospitals.

The hospitals person been moving to code nutrient insecurity issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. In summation to the fiscal commitment, immoderate of the 29,000 employees successful the strategy besides volition unpaid to assistance battalion oregon administer nutrient successful section communities, officials said.

Feed America estimates astir 11% of Marylanders were nutrient insecure earlier the commencement of the pandemic, which translates to astir 380,000 people. The pandemic lone deepened the request for radical to person entree to nutritious food, UMMS officials said.

The strategy is moving with the Maryland Food Bank, the Capital Area Food Bank, Moveable Feast and Meals connected Wheels to supply directed grants and different resources to the astir susceptible radical successful targeted areas and assistance the bare by supplying nutrient and prepared meals. The grants apt volition beryllium an hold of enactment already taking spot successful those communities, according to the statement.

In Baltimore, the University of Maryland Medical Center has partnered with Hungry Harvest for Mobile Markets, which provides caller nutrient successful areas with nutrient deserts. As a result, much than 2,600 bags of low-cost caller nutrient person been sold. The infirmary besides hosts play farmers’ markets adjacent the field and distributed astir 40,000 boxes of food, caller nutrient and prepackaged lunches passim the pandemic.

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Food insecurity isn’t conscionable a metropolis issue. In Baltimore County earlier the pandemic, much than 88,200 radical – astir 11% of the colonisation – were nutrient insecure, UMMS officials said. The projection is expected to summation to 12.5% successful 2021. During the pandemic, the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center supported Parkville High School’s Student Support Network with 450 hours of unpaid labor, bought much than 14,000 sub sandwiches and astir 2,700 exigency nutrient boxes.