The American Heart Association (AHA) has long been a partner with Inter-Faith Food Shuttle in addressing the ongoing health of our community through ensuring that all our neighbors receive the nutrition they need to lead healthy, active lives. Recently, the AHA activated funding for the Food Shuttle by leveraging a network of funders for a project outlined in a grant that had been submitted to them last fall. Initially, they found UNC Health, who donated $20,000 to help expand infrastructure for a number of our partners. A second funder, Allscripts, was found and donated an additional $6,700. This project strengthens the effectiveness of the partners’ services and improves our own efficiency.
Health is one of Inter-Faith Food Shuttle’s core values, and the AHA project is benefitting the health of our community. The project provides refrigeration, which mitigates health risks by getting fresh produce into the hands of the people we serve. The funding is mostly for cold storage, but also supports the provision of shelving and other basic storage needs.
“We proudly support Inter-Faith Food Shuttle's efforts to provide underserved individuals with nutritious foods. Nutrition security is one of our top priorities, and we will continue to find ways to collaborate with the Food Shuttle to expand access to healthy food across North Carolina. AHA understands that poor nutrition can lead to poor health. Together, we can work towards achieving health equity for all.” says Liliana Marin, Community Impact Director for the American Heart Association.
The Food Shuttle was also invited to share our mission at the Tringle Heart Walk on September 25, benefitting the American Heart Association. It was a beautiful fall morning, and a wonderful opportunity to be a part of this community event with different companies represented and so many teams participating.
The Food Shuttle looks forward to new opportunities to work with the American Heart Association as we continue in our efforts to create a hunger free community.