New PNC Healthy Food Garden at AHN Forbes Hospital Provides Fresh Produce for Food-Insecure Patients in Eastern Suburbs of Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Allegheny Health Network (AHN) today announced that it has received generous charitable support from PNC Bank to establish a produce garden at AHN Forbes Hospital to support ongoing efforts by AHN and Highmark Health to better address food insecurity among patients who live in the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh.

The 1,400-square-foot garden, which was planted in the spring, is now supplying fruits and vegetables to Forbes Hospital’s Healthy Food Center. AHN’s Healthy Food Centers, which are operated by the network’s Center for Inclusion Health, act as food pharmacies where patients who are food insecure and often struggle to properly manage health conditions can obtain free, nutritious food items, as well as education on disease-specific diets.

To date, patients have received more than 100 pounds of fresh produce from the Forbes Garden.

“This latest inspiring investment in our mission reflects our commitment to holistic patient care, addressing social determinants of health and building sustainable, healthier communities,” said Mitch Beckman, AHN’s chief philanthropy officer. “We are extremely grateful to the leadership of PNC Bank, whose incredible support of this project and many others at AHN over the years has helped us deliver on that promise.”

The garden is located near the Forbes Hospital campus at the former site of North American Martyrs Church at 2526 Haymaker Road. It includes a variety of vibrant fruits and vegetables – such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, zucchini, cucumber, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries – as well as flowers, shrubs, and perennials that make up the adjacent pollinator garden, which encourages natural pollination and pest control.

“The garden space was intentionally designed with two raised wooden garden beds, giving wheelchair users the ability to participate in gardening,” said Mark Rubino, AHN Forbes president. “Our goal is to not only use this space to transform the lives of patients and families with insufficient access to nutritious food choices but also to create a space that everyone in our community can access and enjoy.”

The garden was established over a turf lawn using no-till practices, using locally sourced compost for the soil amendments, and it is irrigated using a low-volume irrigation system, minimizing water waste and runoff. It was designed by GaiaScape LLC, a Pittsburgh-based ecological and edible landscape company, which will educate the Forbes staff on proper growing practices and garden stewardship.

According to the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank, one in five Pittsburgh residents experience food insecurity – meaning they lack consistent access to nutritious foods, which are critical to an active, healthy lifestyle. Funding from PNC Bank will help to sustain the AHN Healthy Food Center at Forbes and its efforts to link food and medicine for improved patient health.

In recognition of PNC’s generous support, the garden has been designated as the “PNC Healthy Food Center Garden at AHN Forbes.”

The donation from PNC Bank will also support additional gardens at other hospital locations in the future to further promote wellness and improve health equity across the AHN footprint in western Pennsylvania.

In previous years, PNC provided sponsorship in support of AHN’s Healthy Food Center at West Penn Hospital, the health system’s “First Steps and Beyond” program to improve Black infant health outcomes, and Chill Mobile to overcome stigma related to youth mental health.

“PNC is committed to promoting economic mobility for all across our footprint,” said Lou Cestello, PNC regional president for Pittsburgh and Southwestern PA. “And we are proud to team up with Allegheny Health Network, which is working diligently to improve health outcomes for underserved communities in our region.”

There are now six Healthy Food Center locations across AHN’s footprint, with the newest one opening this year at AHN Allegheny Valley Hospital in Natrona Heights. Collectively, the centers have served over 29,000 patients and their family members, providing over 290,000 meals since opening in 2018.

“The garden at Forbes improves our patients’ access to healthy foods while equipping our staff with fresh produce as they work with individuals to help them manage weight and combat chronic diseases,” said Colleen Ereditario MPH, RD, LDN, program manager for the AHN Healthy Food Center. In the future, she said, the garden will incorporate educational programming for patients, community members, and employees who want to learn more about gardening.

Healthy Food Center gardens are also located at AHN West Penn Hospital and Saint Vincent Hospital in Erie, PA.

Patients who are interested in utilizing the Healthy Food Center must obtain a referral from their AHN physician. To learn more, visit www.ahn.org/center-for-inclusion-health.  

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About PNC Bank

PNC Bank, National Association, is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking including a full range of lending products; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com.