Amsterdam, NY – Catholic Charities of Fulton and Montgomery Counties, in partnership with St. Mary’s Healthcare and Alliance for Better Health, today announced the launch of a Food Farmacy at St. Mary’s Memorial Campus. The Food Farmacy is a type of food pantry which specifically serves food-insecure individuals with health-related issues who have been identified within the St. Mary’s Healthcare system. This innovative approach to combating issues of food insecurity aims to address immediate and long-term nutritional needs of qualified individuals.

Unlike a food pantry, the Food Farmacy is staffed with a registered dietitian and a case manager. Participants receive food along with comprehensive nutrition education to improve health. Referred individuals work with Food Farmacy staff to receive healthy foods, including fresh produce and other nutritious food items. The dietitian will recommend food tailored to underlying health issues and educate participants to make informed health-conscious and budget-friendly food decisions, which can improve health long-term.

“We began our partnership to implement the Food Farmacy over a year ago to address food insecurity and chronic disease management in our community. The Food Farmacy not only offers access to healthy foods, but participants also receive personalized education that is critical to ensuring a successful journey towards improved health,” said Margaret Brodie, St. Mary’s Healthcare VP of Mission.

“Catholic Charities has a long history of working with both St. Mary’s Healthcare and Alliance for Better Health to provide services in our area. It makes sense that, once again, our organizations would come together to help people with this Food Farmacy,” said Mary Carpenter, Executive Director of Catholic Charities of Fulton and Montgomery Counties. “We’re grateful to call them partners in this endeavor and I look forward to seeing the impact it has on the long-term health of the participants.”

Food insecurity is an area of concern in Fulton and Montgomery Counties, where St. Mary’s operates. Before the pandemic hit, the region had a Food Insecurity Rate of 13% – above the national average, according to data from Feeding America*. This has only gotten worse as food insecurity has increased in the past year and rural counties are seeing higher rates of food insecurity overall.

“Alliance for Better Health is focused on finding ways to improve the health of the people and communities we serve,” said Jacob Reider, MD, CEO of Alliance for Better Health. “Addressing food insecurity in a creative and sustainable way is one of the pillars of our work, and we are pleased to be collaborating with Catholic Charities and St. Mary’s Healthcare toward better health for all.”

“We’re thrilled to bring this innovative, proven model to Montgomery County. Now, people in the St. Mary’s Healthcare system will be able to visit the Food Farmacy much in the same way they’d see a doctor for preventative health care,” said Vincent W. Colonno, CEO of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany. “Access to nutritional education and healthy food is important when maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Catholic Charities has operated food pantries and meal programs for decades and have found this innovative approach helps to create healthier outcomes for the people we serve.”

Sarah Valachovic, LPN at the St. Mary’s Gloversville Health Center, said “I have referred many patients to the Food Farmacy. I think that it is wonderful that they can receive fresh food that is nutritious and can help them maintain a healthy lifestyle even while they may be struggling to obtain foods at times. Being able to meet with a dietician is also a very useful component in helping our patients. I had a patient who is diabetic. He was struggling with his A1C and hopefully by getting some fresh food this will help to set him on the right track.”

The Food Farmacy is available daily Monday through Friday to anyone with a referral from St. Mary’s. Catholic Charities staff at the on-site Food Farmacy, including the registered dietician and case manager, will be on hand to assist with dietary and nutritional needs.

About Catholic Charities of Fulton and Montgomery Counties

Catholic Charities of Fulton and Montgomery Counties have provided services to the counties’ most vulnerable populations since 1976. Catholic Charities serves children, those struggling with mental illness and/or substance abuse, the economically disadvantaged, abuse victims and those experiencing homelessness. We’ve continued to expand our services to meet the growing needs of our communities and our services are available to everyone without regard to race, creed, or lifestyle.

Catholic Charities of Fulton and Montgomery Counties is an agency of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany. To learn more, go to: https://www.catholiccharitiesfmc.org/

About St. Mary’s Healthcare, Amsterdam

St. Mary’s Healthcare features an award-winning acute care hospital, primary and specialty care centers throughout Fulton and Montgomery counties, more than 30 behavioral health services for persons in Fulton, Montgomery and Hamilton counties, a full continuum of physical rehabilitation services and a 160-bed nursing home. The organization has earned exceptional national rankings for excellence in medicine and has a continuing commitment to provide an exceptional patient experience. For more information about St. Mary’s Healthcare, call (518) 842-1900 or visit us online at https://www.smha.org/. To stay connected to St. Mary’s, follow us on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/smha.org.

About Alliance for Better Health

Alliance for Better Health (Alliance) engages medical, behavioral, and social service providers in developing innovative solutions to promote the health of people and communities, with a goal of transforming the care delivery system into one that incentivizes health and prevention. Established in 2015, Alliance and its daughter entity, Healthy Alliance IPA, collaborate with community partners to address social needs – food insecurity, housing assistance, benefits navigation – before they turn into costly medical problems. With more than 100 partner organizations across a six-county area in New York’s Tech Valley and Capital Region, Alliance prioritizes building health equity for all.

Photo Caption: From Left: Melissa Kopf MS, RD, CDN, Community Benefits Coordinator and Margaret Brodie, VP of Mission Integration for St. Mary’s Healthcare join Mary Carpenter, Executive Director, Valerie Veltri, Food Farmacy Case Manager and Courtney Javarone, Program Director of Community Resources for Catholic Charities of Fulton and Montgomery County at the Food Farmacy located on St. Mary’s Memorial Campus.

The St. Mary’s Healthcare Auxiliary announced its pledge of $250,000 toward the construction of the new Outpatient Pavilion. The Auxiliary is a leader in offering early support for the new building currently under construction on the Memorial campus on Route 30.

When the project is finished, the facility will provide easy access to services including: comprehensive Cancer Medicine including radiation therapy; a Women’s Breast Health Center, comprehensive Outpatient Imaging Center, Laboratory Services, Urgent Care and Outpatient Registration.  The new Outpatient Pavilion is set to open in autumn, 2015.

“St. Mary’s is truly blessed to have many in our community who believe in our ability to maintain quality health care, and who are willing and able to support our ongoing efforts to improve the well-being of our community,” said Victor Giulianelli, President and CEO of St. Mary’s Healthcare.  “Our Auxiliary has always demonstrated an unwavering commitment to our vision.  Their pledge helps us set the pace for others to join in helping us move forward for the good of those we currently serve and for those who will need accessible health care in the future.”

The St. Mary’s Auxiliary is made up of more than 230 active and sustaining members that consistently work to raise funds and friends through signature events, lobby sales and the management  of the St. Mary’s Gift Shop.

“We are eternally grateful to our friends in the Auxiliary,” said Al Turo, Vice President for Planning and Development.  “They are helping us address a variety of contemporary care issues and improve care coordination for our most seriously ill patients.  The construction of this Outpatient Pavilion will ultimately lead to better health results for our patients and their families.”