SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital – Madison is implementing a new food resource program for patients in need, thanks to a special collaboration with The River Food Pantry.
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Baskets of Hope will provide new moms with shelf-stable emergency groceries when they leave the hospital after giving birth. Each Basket of Hope package also includes education about local resources available to help with more permanent food security options. An SSM Health Community Health worker will also check in with the family to ensure they are doing well.
“We know people need access to nutritious foods in order to maintain good health,” says Nikeya Bramlett, SSM Health Wisconsin Community Health Manager. “Unfortunately, we also know this is a struggle for many in our community.”
The emergency groceries for the Madison Basket of Hope program are provided by The River Food Pantry.
“We are thrilled to have The River Food Pantry’s support for this program,” says Bramlett. “It shows the true collaborative, supportive nature of Madison and will help our patients continue to heal and improve their health once they are home.”
SSM Health is honored to partner with The River Food Pantry and excited to deepen this relationship as the Baskets of Hope program grows.
“We are so grateful that SSM Health reached out to The River to help alleviate food insecurity for local families with newborns,” says Rhonda Adams, Executive Director of The River. “Easy access to nutritious food is essential for everyone, especially for those with children.”
SSM Health picked up emergency groceries from The River Food Pantry for the first time on Monday, July 17. Through this partnership, The River will provide food resources monthly and will increase as needed.
Once the food items are received, volunteers from St. Mary’s Hospital put together the resource packages that are then provided to Birth Suites. Families who share their need for food will receive the emergency groceries and support when they are discharged from the hospital.
This is the second Baskets of Hope program to rollout at SSM Health in Wisconsin. A similar partnership in Janesville began in April 2023.
About SSM Health
SSM Health is a Catholic, not-for-profit health system serving the comprehensive health needs of communities across the Midwest through a robust and fully integrated health care delivery system. The organization’s 40,000 team members and more than 12,800 providers are committed to providing exceptional health care services and revealing God’s healing presence to everyone they serve.
With care delivery sites in Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma and Wisconsin, SSM Health includes 23 hospitals, more than 300 physician offices and other outpatient and virtual care services, 13 post-acute facilities, comprehensive home care and hospice services, a pharmacy benefit company, a health insurance company and an accountable care organization. It is one of the largest employers in every community it serves. For more information, visit ssmhealth.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter.
About The River Food Pantry
The River is South Central Wisconsin’s busiest food pantry. Services include free groceries and freshly prepared meals for pickup or delivery, online grocery orders, mobile meals, and emergency food lockers. The River also redistributes rescued food and resources to local partners to increase access while minimizing waste. Since 2006, The River has grown to serve over 2,500 people every week in pursuit of its vision: a fully nourished community. Learn more about the River Food Pantry.
