The pilot year of a philanthropic program to distribute free, locally grown produce to older adults in need was highly impactful and planning is underway to continue and potentially expand the initiative in 2025, according to a release.
The farm-to-family effort was made possible through a partnership between O’Connor Hospital, the Delaware County Office for the Aging, NY Connects, Schoharie Valley Farms and Delaware Opportunities Inc., with funding from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education New York, a news release announced.
In total, 2,338 boxes, each containing a half bushel of healthy food were distributed across Delaware County, according to coordinator Susan Hammerslag with the Delaware County Office for the Aging, SNAP-Ed and NY Connects. Fourteen weekly distributions started in July and ran through October, benefiting 167 recipients in six locations: Delhi, Grand Gorge, Hancock, Margaretville, Sidney and Walton.
“The program was originally expected to conclude earlier, but it was extended by four additional weeks this October,” Hammerslag said. “We are thankful to the trustees at O’Connor Hospital and Bassett Healthcare Network for their help in making both the extension and the program possible.”
Don Harris, a longtime board member at O’Connor Hospital said, “All of us at O’Connor Hospital appreciate the hard work that went into this initiative promoting the health of our community through access to nutritious foods.
“The conversations I had with Susan, as well as with Ethan and Mary Ball of Schoharie Valley Farms were informative and uplifting. So much hard work, skill and desire to help local neighbors went into making this program such a triumph.”
In total, O’Connor Hospital provided over $28,000 in funding to support the program, the release said. The hospital’s leadership and clinicians, together with Bassett Healthcare Network’s Population Health Department, also offered community needs assessment data and outreach support.
Deliveries are expected to begin again in the summer of 2025. The exact start date is currently being planned.
