St. Peter’s Health Partners facilitates food security

Food insecurity is detrimental to individual and community health, aggravating chronic conditions, increasing risk of emergent illness and compounding the negative effects of health disparities. This year, St. Peter’s Health Partners proudly sponsored a free drive-up food pantry to help address the growing issue of food insecurity in the Capital Region.

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany, the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York and St. Peter’s Health Partners helped organize the food drive, which was held July 13 outside the Lansingburgh Boys and Girls Club. Other partners included the Capital District Area Labor Federation, Troy Teachers Association, Oakwood Community Center and the Ale House.

Volunteers, including more than two dozen SPHP staff, handed out bags filled with chicken, sausage, yogurt, milk, eggs and produce donated by The Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Nourish New York, a state-funded program. With many individuals out of work or school due to COVID-19, SPHP made it its mission to provide fresh, healthy food to the most vulnerable in the community.

The drive-up food pantry served more than 500 families in the region. It is one of several food drives planned by Catholic Charities this year. The charity organization estimates it has already served more than 33,000 people this year, compared to 5,366 in 2018.

For more information, contact Courtney Weisberg, public relations/digital communications specialist, at (518) 525-1232 or courtney.weisberg@sphp.com.