OConnor Hospital Provides 20,000 in Funding to Office for the Aging to Support Fresh Produce Deliveries to Older Adults

DELHI – O’Connor Hospital, an affiliate of Bassett Healthcare Network, has provided $20,000 in funding to Delaware County Office for the Aging to support a pilot program to deliver fresh local produce to older adults.

In cooperation with Schoharie Valley Farms, Delaware County Office for the Aging and New York Connects – with funding from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) New York – is assembling boxes of fresh produce to deliver to local seniors in need. O’Connor Hospital’s leadership and clinicians, together with Bassett Healthcare Network’s Population Health Department, have been a key part of the project, offering community needs assessment data and outreach support, in addition to funding.

“Access to nutritious food is healthcare,” says Peter J. Hamilton, Chair of O’Connor Hospital’s Board of Trustees. “With an estimated 18 percent of adults across Delaware County experiencing food insecurity, it is our responsibility as the trusted healthcare provider in our communities to connect area residents with the resources they need to stay healthy.”

Delaware County Office for the Aging surveyed potential recipients by doing outreach to residents who regularly use Delaware Opportunities Dining Centers (either through home-delivered meals or at congregate meal sites). More than 200 residents expressed interest in receiving produce boxes. Funding has supported the allocation of 167 boxes so far, which are being distributed among dining centers. Volunteers at regional dining centers are delivering boxes to community members’ homes.

“Hunger is often silent,” says Diane Cusworth, RN, BSN, MSHA, Director of Community Health, Strategy, and Population Health at Bassett Healthcare Network. “By coordinating resources among local farms, healthcare services, and other agencies, we can bring interventions to our communities that are sustainable and successful. Our goal is to make this program part of the fabric of our region every year, making a difference in the health and lives of potentially hundreds of families. As we codify our assessment tools and processes, this program could be replicated in many other regions.”

Delaware County Office for the Aging and NY Connects will continue produce box deliveries through the fall. Schoharie Valley Farms, O’Connor Hospital and Bassett Healthcare Network, Delaware Opportunities Dining Centers, SNAP-Ed New York, and other organizations will continue to collaborate with hopes of expanding the program next spring.

“This is truly a community effort,” says Susan Hammerslag, Coordinator of SNAP-Ed at Delaware County Office for the Aging. “It’s amazing to see so many people come together to make this vision a reality. Our wonderful farmer, Ethan Ball, of Schoharie Valley Farms, is selecting a variety of produce for deliveries. In the first couple of weeks, we delivered sweet corn, potatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, cucumbers, broccoli, tomatoes, garlic scapes, and kohlrabi. We are so grateful to O’Connor Hospital and the greater Bassett Healthcare Network for their support. I would also like to extend a special thank you to Delaware Opportunities Dining Centers for their assistance connecting our seniors with food – including getting boxes delivered to the last mile.”

Learn more about the program and how to get involved by calling 607-832-5747 or emailing DelCoEatHealthy@gmail.com.