By Lauren Carr
Strategic Manager, Policy & Government Affairs
On April 19, the New York City Council held an Oversight Hearing on “Food Insecurity in New York City.” Council Member Crystal Hudson, Chair of the Committee on Aging, also introduced legislation that would require City agencies to develop a technical support program for older adults related to the use of computers, phones, and telehealth services. Council Member Hudson has previously visited our Crown Heights location, where she toured both EmblemHealth Neighborhood Care and the AdvantageCare Physicians medical office, met with team members, and took part in a chair fitness class.
A key theme that emerged from the hearing was the need for increased capacity to meet food benefit demands, as well as the need for culturally sensitive meal options and nutritionally adequate meals. There was also discussion on how food insecurity has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and rising food prices, and currently 1.2 million New Yorkers are food insecure and 1.7 million are receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Of SNAP recipients, one in four are older adults.
EmblemHealth provided testimony among other organizations including the New York City Department of Social Services, the New York City Department for the Aging, Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York, New York Common Pantry, and God’s Love We Deliver.
Erin Reddan, Regional Manager, Neighborhood Care, testified on behalf of our enterprise in support of the City Council’s actions to address food insecurity. She highlighted the resources and support available through Neighborhood Care to access healthy food and culturally competent nutritional guidance. She emphasized that in 2022, over 61,000 individuals accessed care through our Neighborhood Care sites, with nearly one in three individuals being over the age of 65. This makes us uniquely positioned to help address the challenges that older adults are facing, including issues like food insecurity, loneliness and social isolation, and digital literacy.
Erin highlighted how we have partnered with other organizations such as New York Common Pantry, La Jornada, and the Campaign Against Hunger to bring food pantry events and farmers markets to our Chinatown, Crown Heights, East New York, Harlem, and Jackson Heights Neighborhood Care locations. She emphasized that we also provide nutritional guidance in our classes such as Plant-Based Eating 101 and Discover a Heart Healthy Diet, and our care team is trained to assist with accessing SNAP benefits.
Erin also highlighted the Healthy Eating Habits event held at Crown Heights Neighborhood Care on April 19, which included a Nutrition for Your Soul cooking demonstration led by Ruth Greenfield, Registered Dietitian; a farmers market; health check-ins with Caryn Nurse, Lead Complex Care Manager, to answer general questions; diabetes A1C screenings for eligible EmblemHealth members; and blood pressure screenings for all community members.
Combatting food insecurity in New York City requires a coordinated effort to ensure that all communities, including the most vulnerable, have access to fresh food, nutritional guidance, and support. We are proud of EmblemHealth’s commitment to this issue and will continue to look for ways to be a partner to the City Council and to highlight the work underway across the enterprise.