HSMP Meeting Includes Healthy Food Drive

The Healthy Eating and Active Living, or HEAL, Action Team of the Healthy St. Mary’s Partnership is planning a Healthy Food Drive to happen during the 2019 HSMP Annual Meeting on Sept. 19. Everyone in the community is invited to attend the HSMP meeting or to drop off food donations during the event. MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital supports the Healthy St. Mary’s Partnership

More than 8 percent of the residents of St. Mary’s County are food insecure, meaning they do not have regular access to healthy food like fresh produce, whole grains and low-fat milk.

Members and partners of the HEAL Action Team have been working to increase the amount of healthy foods that are distributed in the community by hosting and encouraging others to host healthy food drives. The partnership’s website includes examples of healthy food donations, tips for hosting your own similar drive, and a customizable food drive flier.

The food drive is essential because lack of healthy food has been linked to chronic disease like diabetes, obesity, and delayed cognitive development in children.

In response to this health issue, partners of the Healthy Eating and Active Living Action Team are working to increase the amount of healthy foods that are distributed in our community. The HEAL team has created the following tips and tools for local businesses, organizations, and members of the community who would like to make a difference by hosting a healthy food drive to benefit St. Mary’s County residents in need.

Donations for a healthy food drive can include shelf-stable powdered milks, baby food, bottled water, low or no-sodium shelf-stable pasta sauces, low or no-sodium chicken, beef and vegetable broth, 100 percent fruit or low sodium vegetable juice, virgin and extra virgin olive and canola oil, and low sugar fruit spreads, to name just a few items on the extensive list of possibilities, linked above.

For more information and one-click access to a full list of resources available at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital, visit its Leader member page.