AHN Healthy Food Center opens at AHN Saint Vincent Hospital

Allegheny Health Network (AHN) is pleased to announce the opening of its latest Healthy Food Center at AHN Saint Vincent Hospital, marking another expansion milestone for the one-of-a-kind program in the region.

The Healthy Food Center at Saint Vincent is supported by a $25,000 grant from Highmark, as well as $190,000 raised from AHN Saint Vincent’s Festival of Trees, its supporters and donors. In addition, the Sisters of Saint Joseph have pledged their support. The Center is part of Allegheny Health Network’s Center for Inclusion Health

The Healthy Food Center acts as a “food pharmacy,” where patients who lack access to food can receive nutritious food items, education on disease-specific diets and additional resources for other social challenges they may face. The first Center debuted in 2018 at West Penn hospital in Pittsburgh, followed by a second location opened at Allegheny General Hospital, and a third at Jefferson Hospital. To date, the three locations have provided patients and their families with more than 86,000 meals.

Food insecurity refers to the lack of consistent access to nutritious foods for an active, healthy life. According to Feeding America, it is estimated that 54 million people faced food insecurity in the USA in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Most recently, the prevalence of covid-19 has placed an even stronger emphasis on how fragile food security is for Americans and how vulnerable many families can be, especially with the loss of a primary household income,” said Chelsey Tordella, RD, manager of the new Food Center. “With the proven success of the Healthy Food Centers elsewhere at AHN, we’re pleased to even further expand the program in the region and positively impact families during an extremely challenging time.”

AHN clinicians screen patients for food insecurity by asking if they’ve been worried about adequate food supply in the last 12 months or if they’ve experienced financial hardships preventing them from purchasing enough monthly groceries for the entire household.

Patients who receive a referral from a medical provider can visit the Center – located in the Professional Building, Lower Level, 311 W. 24th Street in Erie – to shop with a registered dietitian, who will help them choose nutritious items tailored to their needs.

“The boxes typically consist of roughly two to three days’ worth of food for all members of the household, and patients may visit once every 30 days for six months as part of their referral.

“With our robust clinical programs, including one of the busiest emergency departments in northwestern Pennsylvania, AHN Saint Vincent hospital is uniquely positioned to make a difference for many  food-insecure families who live in the communities we serve, ”said Chris Clark, AHN Saint Vincent president.  “On an annual basis, we see more than 50,000 patients in the emergency department alone, and we screen each for social challenges that could impact their overall health. Many of these patients face critical social barriers to health, with food insecurity and transportation cited most often.”

Patients at AHN Saint Vincent’s emergency department are screened through a program established in 2018 coined the ‘Front Door Initiative’ (FDI). Made possible through a $1 million grant from the Jefferson Regional Foundation, the FDI mobilizes AHN social workers to screen for social and economic barriers and connect at-risk patients to the appropriate resources through formalized partnerships with area organizations

“Chronic health issues like Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and obesity are only further exacerbated when patients report social risk factors, especially food insecurity. During a pandemic, patients with compromised immune systems also increase their likelihood for more severe health complications without proper food supplies,” said Dan Muccio, MD, Saint Vincent Chief Medical Officer. “Food is medicine, and by offering an additional access point to nutritious food items, we’re vastly improving the health and overall quality of life for the patients and communities we serve.”

Patients screening positive for food insecurity will get a referral from their provider to participate in the Healthy Food Center.  No appointment needed, the patient can come to the food center located in the lower level of the professional building and work with a registered dietitian to pick out foods tailored to their needs.

The Healthy Food Center will also offer one on one nutrition counseling, education for shopping on a budget, recipe creation, support and more.

The AHN Saint Vincent Food Center will be open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Tuesdays from 1 to 4 p.m., and Thursdays, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Food for the Center is purchased through Erie’s Second Harvest Food Bank.

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