Jim Moran Foundation Awards $100,000 to Combat Food Insecurity Among Broward and Palm Beach Seniors

Poverello's volunteer board, program volunteers, and staff proudly announce The Jim Moran Foundation will provide $100,000 to address Food Insecurity by allowing Poverello to provide Healthy Groceries for People with Chronic Illness living in Broward and Palm Beach Counties through 2025. This funding allows Poverello to serve approximately 100 clients a month in Broward and Palm Beach County with our healthy foods while they are experiencing food insecurity. Eligible participants make less than 150% of the federal poverty level and have a chronic illness. Healthy nutritious fruits, vegetables, proteins, and general grocery items are provided monthly, Clients can pick up food with up to 12 visits per year of healthy groceries. This helps an individual participant supplement their monthly SNAP program and other federal or local food programming. This program features online ordering of client-selected 115 different grocery items, all curated by our licensed/registered nutritionist/dietitian. We also feature 76 different varieties of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and nuts over the course of each year’s four seasons. Program participants can select their groceries online and select either a pickup or delivery period. Food Prices have increased by 30% over the last year and with our average food box order costing around $42.00 a box the demand is even greater for those who are in need. The Population served by this program are 18 years of age and Older including Seniors with Disabilities, Chronic Illnesses and Mental Health issues, in Both Broward and Palm Beach Counties.

Food insecurity among seniors is a significant issue in Broward and Palm Beach counties. Food insecurity refers to the lack of consistent access to enough nutritious food for an active and healthy life.

Food insecurity exists when:

1.??????There are limited financial resources. Many seniors face financial challenges due to fixed incomes, low wages, high healthcare costs, and limited access to affordable housing. These financial constraints can make it difficult for seniors to afford an adequate and nutritious diet.

2.??????The Cost of Living continues to rise. The cost of living, including housing, utilities, and healthcare expenses, continues to rise. This makes it harder for seniors on fixed incomes to allocate sufficient funds for healthy food.

3.??????There is limited mobility and transportation for seniors. Some seniors may have limited mobility or lack access to reliable transportation, which can make it challenging to access healthy grocery stores, farmers' markets, or other sources of affordable and nutritious food. Some neighborhoods don't feature healthy foods available at grocery stores, but instead have to rely on snack foods and items available at gas stations.

4.??????Health issues and functional limitations exist. Seniors may experience health issues or functional limitations that can affect their ability to shop for groceries, prepare meals, or consume certain types of food. These factors can contribute to a higher risk of food insecurity.

5.??????Social Isolation is common among chronically ill and seniors and it can exacerbate food insecurity. Seniors who live alone or have limited social connections may face challenges in obtaining food assistance or may not be aware of available resources.

Poverello uses a simple screening tool validated for adults called the Hunger Vital Sign?[i] . This is part of our SBIRT Screening that also includes risk for depression, smoking, unhealthy alcohol consumption levels and unhealthy substance use. The Hunger Vital Sign ? consists of two simple questions that indicate risk of food insecurity if they answer either or both of the following two statements is ‘often true’ or ‘sometimes true’ (vs. ‘never true’):

1.??????“Within the past 12 months we worried whether our food would run out before we got money to buy more.”

2.??????“Within the past 12 months the food we bought just didn’t last and we didn’t have money to get more.”

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? [i] Hager, E. R., Quigg, A. M., Black, M. M., Coleman, S. M., Heeren, T., Rose-Jacobs, R., Cook, J. T., Ettinger de Cuba, S. E., Casey, P. H., Chilton, M., Cutts, D. B., Meyers A. F., Frank, D. A. (2010). Development and Validity of a 2-Item Screen to Identify Families at Risk for Food Insecurity. Pediatrics, 126(1), 26-32. doi:10.1542/peds.2009-3146.