89% of the food we distributed is comprised of healthy staples like fruits and vegetables, grains, dairy, meat, and other protein. And in addition to food, the Regional Food Bank also provided 1.7 million pounds of non-food items like household paper products, personal hygiene items, cleaning products, and more. These are items that cannot be purchased using SNAP benefits and are extremely valuable to our network of partner agencies and our neighbors in need. Fruits and Vegetables: 39% Food as Medicine For food insecure individuals with chronic disease, Food as Medicine provides access to healthy foods and nutrition education to help manage diet-related symptoms of diagnoses. In our pilot program with St. Peter’s Health Partners, participants’ A1C measurement of blood glucose dropped from 10.13% to 6.78% after 12 weeks.* We are excited to expand this program in 2023. *The American Diabetes Association recommends an A1C less than 7%. Protein: 25% Just Say Yes to Fruits & Vegetables JSY helps individuals and families gain the knowledge and skills needed to make healthy food choices. JSY nutritionists provide practical fruit and vegetable nutrition education sessions at various community sites emphasizing frozen, canned, and dried products, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables. They provide easy, low-cost recipes, and tips for planning and preparing delicious, healthy meals. Dairy: 15% Nourish New York Nourish New York provides food banks with funds to purchase surplus agricultural products from NYS growers and producers that are then provided to people in need. In 2022, Nourish New York provided us with over 3.1 million pounds of food including dairy, eggs, produce, pasta, and more from 20 New York State growers and producers. Grains: 13% Entrees, Soups, and Prepared Foods: 6% Snacks: 2% Patroon Land Farm The Regional Food Bank, in partnership with the Patroon Land Foundation, manages a farm that grows large quantities of high-quality vegetables and supplies the Food Bank with diverse, fresh produce to people in need. 40,000 pounds of produce were harvested in 2022. food distribution by category
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