Beacon Health System is launching a new food relief collaborative to help families struggling with food insecurity following recent changes to federal food assistance programs.
Starting next week, Community Hospital of Bremen will distribute free, pre-packaged meals twice a week through a drive-through program. Kimberly Green Reeves, Beacon’s vice president of community impact and partnerships, said the effort came together quickly once the system recognized how many residents, including Beacon staff, were being affected.
“It was a moment for us to really take a pause and say, what could we be doing more to support the community?" Reeves said. "And so at that point, we quickly moved in a little over one week now at pulling together a plan system-wide to support our community.”
Reeves said the initiative grew out of Beacon’s broader understanding that social factors, like access to nutritious food, directly affect community health.
“We understand that as part of understanding the most pressing needs of the community," she said, "that social drivers of health play a key role in that, and food insecurity is a part of that.”
Beyond Bremen, Beacon’s hospitals in Elkhart, South Bend and across the region are expanding food pantries and partnering with organizations like Cultivate Food Rescue and the Food Bank of Northern Indiana. Reeves said Beacon employees are stepping up to volunteer in meal preparation and distribution.
“I've heard a lot from our workforce," she said, "that they're proud to be a part of an organization that is thinking broadly about how to support the community and also not forgetting that our community is also made up of our workforce.”
The food relief effort will continue through December, with Beacon planning to review participation and need before deciding how to move forward.
“We're gonna monitor it closely" Reeves said, "to make sure that we are responsive to the needs identified as well as making sure that we can keep up with the demand. We certainly don't want to overpromise and underdeliver.”
More information about food assistance resources in Beacon’s service area is available at BeaconHealthSystem.org.
