Food insecurity, the lack of consistent access to enough food to live a healthy and active lifestyle, is on the rise as more than 44 million people, including 13 million children, experience food insecurity in America. Riverside is committed to combating food insecurity in the communities it serves and has made a significant three-year contribution to support the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank to aid in its ongoing efforts to alleviate hunger on the Virginia Peninsula.
“For more than a decade, Riverside has been proud to support the ongoing efforts of the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank to fight food insecurity in our communities,” says Dr. Mike Dacey, chief executive officer (CEO) for Riverside Health System. “Food insecurity affects more than 48,000 people across the greater Peninsula and is linked to delayed development in children and an increased risk of chronic illnesses. Our hope is that through our contribution, and those from others in our community, we will be able to make a positive impact by providing healthy meals and education for those in need.”
Established in 1986, the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank has been the leading hunger relief organization across the greater Peninsula serving the one in eight Virginians who experience the daily hardships of food and nutrition insecurity. Riverside’s contribution to the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank will support its Health Equity/Healthy Pantry Initiative in two specific ways: First, it will provide nutrition education for food-insecure individuals with chronic illnesses; second, it will be used to purchase a steady stream of fresh vegetables and other produce for the food bank to distribute to families struggling with food insecurity.
“We are honored to partner with Riverside to improve the health of our Peninsula neighbors and to provide them with nutrition education and the healthy fruits and vegetables they may be unable to access on their own,” said Karen Joyner, chief executive officer (CEO) of Virginia Peninsula Foodbank. “Riverside recognizes the connection between food insecurity and health challenges, and we are grateful to work together to make our community healthier and stronger.”
Riverside’s three-year contribution will extend through August 2026. Riverside and the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank will continue to work together in distributing fresh foods to those in need and determine the best avenues to provide nutrition education for those on the Virginia Peninsula.
“Our mission at Riverside, ‘To care for others as we would care for those we love—to enhance their well-being and improve their health,’ is the driving force behind our ongoing commitment to partner with Virginia Peninsula Foodbank,” says Debbie Campbell, director of community engagement for Riverside. “Our partnership is a joint effort to decrease the number of members in our community who suffer from food insecurity, providing them with nourishment and hope for a healthier tomorrow.”
To learn more about Riverside’s commitment to and engagement in the community, visit riversideonline.com/community.