Volunteers of America of North Louisiana receives grant to combat food insecurities
Louisiana Healthcare Connections has announced the recipients of the $100,000 grant funding to help support community organizations that are trying to address hunger and food insecurity in Louisiana communities.
Out entire state one northwest Louisiana organization was one of the six to receive funding from Louisiana Healthcare Connections.
Volunteers of America of North Louisiana Healthy Living Project was the proud recipient of this funding.
Chosen from more than 50 detailed applications from across the state, selected projects were required to address hunger, food insecurity and/or food access at the community level.
Volunteers of America of North Louisiana serves the community by providing healthy eating education to adults with serious mental health illnesses in the area. The way they accomplish this is by educating individuals on how to access healthy food, shop for healthy food and prepare healthy food.
This organization also monitors the positive impact these diets and lifestyles have on their physical and mental well-being.
“Adults with serious mental illness have many challenges, and part of overcoming these challenges starts with the basics of good nutrition and being able to take care of themselves,” Rachel Henderson, clinical director of adult behavioral health for Volunteers of America North Louisiana said. “The Healthy Living Project will provide these skills so enrollees can live healthier lives.”
With one out of four children and seniors in Louisiana living in a household that faces food insecurity, hunger affects every parish in the state.
“Improving health outcomes requires more than just access to quality medical care,” Yolanda Wilson, Louisiana Healthcare Connections vice president of quality improvement said. “Good health starts in the places where we live, learn, worship, work, and play. And because, at the local level, many of the solutions for good health already exist, investing in those solutions means positively impacting the health and health outcomes of our members and improving the health of our communities.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food insecurity as “a lack of access to enough food for an active, healthy life.” Food insecurity often requires a household to choose between basic necessities, such as medical needs or housing and eating.
According to the latest USDA Economic Research Service, Louisiana has improved its food security over the last few years but still has the third-highest food insecurity in the nation.
