Beyond 10,000 meals – education, access are next steps

Nine months ago, four colleges committed to tackling food insecurity in our neighborhoods. We made 10,000 meals to share with families in five Scranton elementary schools – but that was just the beginning. We used the occasion to launch a multi-institution case study whose goal is to achieve measurable change in food insecurity in our region. In August, our students learned a lot about what drives the crisis in our community. They took what they learned and zeroed in on themes of education and access as the key to reducing food insecurity.

On April 6, those themes form the next steps toward making our neighborhoods hunger-free zones.

Healthy Food Festival – a fun, interactive event for Scranton School District families
Saturday, April 6, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

The Healthy Food Fest will:

• Help parents by providing fresh produce and connecting them with resources
• Educate children about making better food choices 

Children and their families will have fun and receive education around food and health. With interactive activities and games, attendees will gain skills and resources they can put to use immediately at home. From cooking demonstrations and cookbooks chockful of healthy recipes built on readily available ingredients, to lessons on how to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into an everyday diet, the Healthy Food Festival will move the needle on local food insecurity by connecting families with resources and empowering them to make nutritious choices.

• Access means making connections -- local nonprofits will have booths at the Healthy Food Fest, including Here for a Reason, Generosity feeds, WIC, the Weinberg Food Bank and others…
• Education means speaking the same language and taking a hands-on approach:
• Several multi-lingual student volunteers will act as translators as necessary
• All families will receive a free food bag provided by the local food pantry
• All families will receive a vital health and oral health screenings

Read about our 10,000 Meals event.

Learn more about Colleges Building Community.

About Geisinger
Geisinger is among the nation’s leading providers of value-based care, serving 1.2 million people in urban and rural communities across Pennsylvania. Founded in 1915 by philanthropist Abigail Geisinger, the non-profit system generates $10 billion in annual revenues across 134 care sites - including 10 hospital campuses, and Geisinger Health Plan, with 600,000 members in commercial and government plans. The Geisinger College of Health Sciences educates more than 5,000 medical professionals annually and conducts more than 1,400 clinical research studies. With 26,000 employees, including 1,600 employed physicians, Geisinger is among Pennsylvania’s largest employers with an estimated economic impact of $14 billion to the state’s economy. On March 31, 2024, Geisinger became the first member of Risant Health, a new nonprofit charitable organization created to expand and accelerate value-based care across the country.  Learn more at geisinger.org or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.