Spotlighting Heroes: Celebrating National Nutrition Month with Staff Stories!
Project Bread
It’s About More Than Food
IT’S A FACT: FOOD SECURITY IMPROVES HEALTH
National Nutrition Month, celebrated every March, focuses on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. We know that when people can afford to purchase and prepare nutritious foods, they will. And when they are able to eat a healthier diet, their overall health improves. But for far too many Massachusetts residents, accessing healthy meals isn’t possible.
Project Bread is bridging this gap.
For 15+ years, we've partnered with health centers, leveraging their role as entry points to connect patients with food resources. With 97% of the MA population covered by health insurance, healthcare serves as a key access point. Since joining forces with MassHealth in 2020, we've expanded to 40+ health centers, assisting over 12,000 clients!
Discover how Project Bread is revolutionizing healthcare in Massachusetts by tackling food insecurity head-on.
Meet The Team That’s Transforming Healthcare
THE STARS BEHIND PROJECT BREAD’S SUCCESS IN HEALTHCARE
Join the celebration as we spotlight our National Nutrition Month superheroes—the dynamic Healthcare Partnerships Team at Project Bread!
Get ready to be inspired by their unstoppable spirit and unwavering commitment to fueling change. Let’s dive into their remarkable journey as they empower communities, one healthy meal at a time.
MANAGER OF NUTRITION & DIETETICS, HEALTHCARE PARTNERSHIPS
COURTNEY MCGARRY
A passionate Registered Dietitian (RD) and Project Bread's Manager of Nutrition & Dietetics, HealthCare Partnerships team, Courtney is committed to promoting nutrition and food security as vital components of healthcare.
Success Story: Making a Real Difference:
Courtney shared a heartwarming success story of a client who faced multiple health challenges alongside food insecurity. Through Project Bread's interventions, including providing tangible support like food benefit cards and personalized nutrition counseling, the client saw remarkable improvements in managing her diabetes. Not only did her A1c levels significantly decrease, but she also successfully advocated for insurance coverage for a continuous glucose monitor.
Navigating Challenges, Creating Solutions:
Advocating for nutrition in healthcare can be tough, but with steadfast dedication and support from Program Director, Jen Obadia, Project Bread continues to prioritize nutrition education. Implementing incentives like the $50 Fruit and Vegetable incentive further motivates clients to engage in their healthcare journey.
Impactful Initiatives and Collaborations:
From in-person cooking classes to integrating nutrition education into follow-up calls, Project Bread's partnerships with healthcare providers empower individuals to make healthier everyday choices.
“Joining Project Bread was a natural fit for me, especially knowing the impactful work they were doing to alleviate hunger in Massachusetts. I knew I wanted to contribute to finding a solution to the immediate problem of the hunger crisis.”
Courtney McGarry, MANAGER OF NUTRITION & DIETETICS, HEALTHCARE PARTNERSHIPS
Manager of Nutrition & Dietetics Health Care Partnerships
ALEX PAPADKIS
A dedicated Nutrition Services Coordinator at Project Bread, Alex's role involves coordinating nutrition services and providing direct care to food-insecure clients referred from healthcare partners across Massachusetts.
From arranging food vouchers to offering one-on-one counseling, Alex's goal is to ensure everyone has access to nutritious food and the knowledge to make healthy choices. Alex joined Project Bread driven by the belief that healthcare should address social needs like food insecurity.
Why Nutrition Security Matters:
It's not just about getting any food—it's about ensuring access to nutritious food that supports overall well-being. Nutrition security, as Alex emphasizes, is about consistent access to affordable, nourishing food that promotes health and vitality.
Collaborating for Better Nutrition:
Alex and her team work closely with healthcare providers to integrate nutrition education into patient care. By recognizing the unique needs of each patient and collaborating with providers, they empower individuals to make informed and healthy choices about their diet. Through initiatives like one-on-one counseling and group education sessions, they equip clients with the tools and knowledge needed to make lasting lifestyle changes.
Highlighting Impactful Initiatives:
One of the standout initiatives at Project Bread is the Flexible Service program– which empowers clients to make their own food choices by providing food vouchers, while also offering guidance through nutrition education. By giving individuals agency in their food choices and supporting them with education, Project Bread fosters long-term sustainable changes in dietary habits.
Nutrition Services Coordinator, Flexible Services Program | Health Care Partnerships
LILIANA TORRES
Another dedicated member of Project Bread's HealthCare Partnerships team! With a passion for personalized nutrition care and addressing barriers to healthy eating, Liliana brings a fresh perspective to promoting nutrition in healthcare.
Inspiration Behind Joining Project Bread:
Fresh out of her dietetic internship, Liliana was inspired to join HealthCare Partnerships due to frustrations with limitations in traditional healthcare settings. She saw this role as an opportunity to offer more personalized nutrition care, addressing barriers to accessing healthy foods that she witnessed during her internship.
Advice for Enhancing Nutrition Efforts through Collaborations:
Liliana emphasizes the importance of personalizing nutrition education and services. Every individual's needs are different, and collaboration between providers and clients is essential to overcoming barriers and achieving healthy lifestyle changes. She also stresses the need for food to be treated as medicine, advocating for insurance coverage for special dietary needs.
Biggest Barriers in Improving Nutrition Security:
For Liliana, the biggest barrier lies in the current healthcare structure. Until there is a widespread understanding of the value of nutrition in healthcare, accessibility to nutrition services and healthy foods will remain limited. Insurance coverage for nutrition services and counseling, as well as more resources to prevent hunger and improve access to healthy foods, are crucial steps in addressing these barriers.
Senior Nutrition Services Coordinator | Health Care Partners
LINH VU
Linh's role on Project Bread's HealthCare Partnerships team is not just about counseling and educating on nutrition science; it's about making a direct impact on clients' lives by promoting nutrition and food security as medicine.
Inspiration Behind Joining Project Bread:
Linh was inspired to join HealthCare Partnerships because of its direct impact approach. Through initiatives like food vouchers and nutrition incentives, Linh sees clients apply learned knowledge to improve their diets, leading to significant changes in health and attitude towards self-care.
Importance of Nutrition Security:
Nutrition security goes beyond just food accessibility. It's about ensuring access to nutritious foods that support overall well-being. Unfortunately, nutritious foods can be more expensive and less accessible than processed options. Linh emphasizes the importance of prioritizing high-quality, nutrient-dense foods to combat inflammation and promote health.
Facing Barriers in Improving Nutrition Security:
One of the biggest challenges Linh faces is working with individuals who have chronic medical and mental health conditions. Behavioral changes require more than just motivation; they require accessibility to quality food, education, healthcare, and social support. Factors like financial stress, mental health struggles, and homelessness can make healthy eating and self-care feel like privileges rather than priorities.
