SSM Health pilots food pantry program for patients

MONROE, Wis. (WMTV) - Patients checking in for a visit at SSM Health Monroe Hospital may find themselves leaving with more than just a prescription.

In August, the health care system started a food closet pilot program. Patients answer a series of USDA approved screening questions during their visit. Those who are considered at-risk for food insecurity are given a bag of groceries along with a list of local food pantries, among other resources.

Each food bag is filled with healthy shelf staples, such as beans, whole wheat pasta, and multi-grain cereal.

Tammie Jamiska, a community health specialist with SSM Health Monroe Hospital, says they want to be more than a health care provider, adding that, since the program started, they’ve given free food bags to more than 30 patients.

“We want to help our patients feel safe in every single way,” Jamiska said. “We really want to give them the immediate need food bag that will sustain their family for a couple of days until they can possibly get to a local food pantry.”

Angela Blizard with SSM Health Monroe Medical Group says offering this program is at the crux of what health systems do.

“When you’re in that immediate need, it’s really overwhelming to think of how you’re going to get your next meal,” Blizard said. “We can make a difference.”

Currently, the food closet program is only available to primary care patients at SSM Health Monroe Hospital. In the next few weeks, hospital officials say it will be expanding to provide for patients in other departments like the emergency room, pediatrics, and eye care.

In the fall of 2019, a similar food pantry program was started at American Family Children’s Hospital, serving patients at UW Health’s University Hospital and East Madison Hospital.

“The goal is to give something that’s going to contribute some good solid nutrition, not just fill a belly,” said pediatric clinical nutritionist Camila Martin. “People don’t always have the funds to purchase the fruits and vegetables in the off-season so we tend to grab things that will fill up.”

When children go without proper nutrition, Martin says they are especially at risk for health issues later on in life. Some health impacts could be micronutrient deficiencies, like anemia in children, or higher rates of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in adults.

“The challenging thing is a lot of the big health reasons that people are coming into the hospital can be tied to food insecurity and access to not enough food,” explained Martin.

Health care experts agree that providing access to the simplest of needs is a priority for any clinic and hospital.

“It’s a very real human emotion to not want to ask for help,” said Martin. “It’s also a very real and good human emotion to want to make sure that services are given to people that need it most.”

The food pantries area hospitals partner with receive their food donations from Second Harvest Food Bank. You can help keep the hospital pantries stocked and help patients in need by donating to the NBC15 Share Your Holidays campaign.

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