CHARLOTTE – Atrium Health hosted Hunger Free America CEO Joel Berg on Monday, July 12, during his national tour visiting organizations around the country committed to fighting hunger.
Atrium Health University City President Bill Leonard provided a preview of Atrium Health’s “Kids Eat Free” summer food program, which piloted at the hospital in 2017 and was the first hospital in North Carolina to offer the program. Hunger Free America, based in New York City, is a national nonprofit group working to end hunger through citizen service and public policy initiatives.
New to the program this year, Atrium Health has two AmeriCorps summer associates, in partnership with Hunger Free America, provided on-site help with distribution to ensure food gets into the hands and bellies of those in our community who need it most.
“In keeping with our ‘for all’ mission, over the past five years, Atrium Health has provided 50,000 summer meals to support our community’s smallest and most vulnerable members: our children,” said Eugene A. Woods, president and CEO of Atrium Health. “And, we are honored to continue this work alongside AmeriCorps and Hunger Free America to ensure more healthy meals are provided to those who need it most.”
The visit also included a tour of the University City Teaching Garden, an organic fruit, vegetable and herb garden designed to highlight the nutritional and environmental benefits of fresh, locally grown produce in an interactive and educational way. The garden serves as an outdoor classroom for all, teaching healthy eating habits to hospital visitors and staff, local schools and members of the wider community.
“AmeriCorps gets things done while promoting community, opportunity, and responsibility,” said Hunger Free America CEO, Joel Berg. “We are thrilled by this partnership with the federal government and Atrium Health to use AmeriCorps national service participants to fight hunger and boost nutrition.”