New equipment donation allows ministry to distribute and store more perishable products
At a time when the food insecurity rate is more than 20 percent in Henderson County, and one in seven Kentuckians are struggling with hunger, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Medicaid in Kentucky partnered with Henderson Christian Community Outreach to feed more families in the community. Through Anthem Medicaid’s “Fresh Fridge” program, Henderson Christian Community Outreach was named the recipient of a new refrigeration unit to disperse a wider variety of nutritious food.
“Our new ‘fresh fridge’ opens up a world of possibilities, giving us more flexibility in the donations we can receive and the food we can provide,” said Kathy Patton, Executive Director at Henderson Christian Community Outreach. “Now, we can accept more, store more and distribute more fruits and vegetables to children and families who need it most.”
In 2022, Henderson Christian Community Outreach helped 2,350 families gain access to food, serving over 6,500 adults and children. The new ‘fresh fridge’ lets the organization expand its mission to get nourishing food from farmers, manufacturers and retailers to people in need.
“Eating fresh food is an important part of maintaining an active lifestyle and ensuring positive health outcomes,” said Leon Lamoreaux, Anthem Medicaid President in Kentucky. “Yet access to nutritious food is often elusive for far too many families in the Commonwealth, especially due to economic hardships stemming from the pandemic and record-high food prices. That is why Anthem Medicaid is proud to support Henderson County Community Outreach in its mission to address food insecurity during these extremely trying times for our neighbors.”
The “Fresh Fridge” program is part of Anthem Medicaid’s ongoing effort to address the social determinants of health and continued commitment to improving health outcomes of its members and at-risk Kentuckians. Since the start of the pandemic, Anthem Medicaid has donated over $2.2 million to reduce food insecurity throughout the state.