Mary’s Center and Capital Area Food Bank Launch Nutrition Program for High-Risk Pregnant Women in Maryland
The 1-year pilot program will benefit 75 women.
Silver Spring, MD, June 30, 2021 --(PR.com)-- Today, Mary’s Center and Capital Area Food Bank announced the launch of the Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby pilot program. This supplemental food and nutrition education program, funded by UnitedHealthcare, aims to improve the overall health of Mary’s Center’s high-risk pregnant participants residing in Maryland.
“We know that good nutrition is directly linked to healthy pregnancies, but so many of our participants lack access to nutritious foods because of food deserts and financial hardship, amplified by the pandemic,” said Maria Gomez, President and CEO of Mary’s Center. “By delivering fresh produce and other items directly to our pregnant participants’ doorsteps, along with providing nutrition education, this new program removes all the barriers to healthy eating and paves the way for safe and successful birth outcomes.”
Through the program, 75 higher risk pregnant participants living in Maryland will receive bi-weekly grocery deliveries from Capital Area Food Bank, supplied by Hungry, including fruits and vegetables, whole grains, dried beans, and lean protein. Participants will also benefit from scheduled virtual appointments with a nutritionist and/or health educator from Mary’s Center, as well as referrals to other resources.
“Good food can make a powerful impact at every stage of life, especially in our very earliest days,” said Radha Muthiah, President and CEO of the Capital Area Food Bank. “We’re thrilled to be partnering on an initiative with the potential to help moms and babies thrive today and in the future by making nutritious food easy to access.”
Eligibility requirements for the Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby program include food insecurity and a current diagnosis of a high-risk prenatal condition, such as pre-eclampsia or gestational diabetes.
About Mary’s Center
Mary’s Center is a community health center serving over 60,000 people of all ages, incomes, and backgrounds in the Washington, DC metro area for over 30 years. With an integrated model of health care, education, and social services, Mary’s Center offers each participant individualized care on the path toward good health, stability, and economic independence. For more information, visit www.maryscenter.org.
About Capital Area Food Bank
The Capital Area Food Bank works to address hunger today and create brighter futures tomorrow for the half a million neighbors across the region experiencing food insecurity. As the anchor in the area’s hunger relief infrastructure, they provided over 62 million meals to people in need over the past year by supplying food to hundreds of nonprofit organizations, including Martha’s Table, SOME – So Others Might Eat, DC Central Kitchen, Food for Others, Manna, and others. They also work in partnership with organizations across the region to address hunger’s root causes by pairing food with other critical services. For more information, visit www.capitalareafoodbank.org.
“We know that good nutrition is directly linked to healthy pregnancies, but so many of our participants lack access to nutritious foods because of food deserts and financial hardship, amplified by the pandemic,” said Maria Gomez, President and CEO of Mary’s Center. “By delivering fresh produce and other items directly to our pregnant participants’ doorsteps, along with providing nutrition education, this new program removes all the barriers to healthy eating and paves the way for safe and successful birth outcomes.”
Through the program, 75 higher risk pregnant participants living in Maryland will receive bi-weekly grocery deliveries from Capital Area Food Bank, supplied by Hungry, including fruits and vegetables, whole grains, dried beans, and lean protein. Participants will also benefit from scheduled virtual appointments with a nutritionist and/or health educator from Mary’s Center, as well as referrals to other resources.
“Good food can make a powerful impact at every stage of life, especially in our very earliest days,” said Radha Muthiah, President and CEO of the Capital Area Food Bank. “We’re thrilled to be partnering on an initiative with the potential to help moms and babies thrive today and in the future by making nutritious food easy to access.”
Eligibility requirements for the Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby program include food insecurity and a current diagnosis of a high-risk prenatal condition, such as pre-eclampsia or gestational diabetes.
About Mary’s Center
Mary’s Center is a community health center serving over 60,000 people of all ages, incomes, and backgrounds in the Washington, DC metro area for over 30 years. With an integrated model of health care, education, and social services, Mary’s Center offers each participant individualized care on the path toward good health, stability, and economic independence. For more information, visit www.maryscenter.org.
About Capital Area Food Bank
The Capital Area Food Bank works to address hunger today and create brighter futures tomorrow for the half a million neighbors across the region experiencing food insecurity. As the anchor in the area’s hunger relief infrastructure, they provided over 62 million meals to people in need over the past year by supplying food to hundreds of nonprofit organizations, including Martha’s Table, SOME – So Others Might Eat, DC Central Kitchen, Food for Others, Manna, and others. They also work in partnership with organizations across the region to address hunger’s root causes by pairing food with other critical services. For more information, visit www.capitalareafoodbank.org.
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Mary's Center
Lyda Vanegas
202-420-7051
www.maryscenter.org
Lyda Vanegas
202-420-7051
www.maryscenter.org
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