AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana Donates $20,000 to Combat Food Insecurity During COVID-19

Funding supports Feeding Louisiana food banks serving all 64

May 14, 2020 - Baton Rouge, La.

AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana, a Healthy Louisiana Medicaid managed care plan, today announced a $20,000 donation to support Feeding Louisiana in addressing food insecurity in the state.

Access to nourishing food is a key determinant of overall health. Research shows communities with the highest rates of food insecurity also face a higher prevalence for chronic disease¹ . Louisiana has one of the highest levels of food insecurity in the United States. According to Feeding America:

• One-in-six Louisiana households already struggled to put food on the table before the COVID-19 pandemic.
• One out of every four Louisiana children lives in a food-insecure household. In rural parishes, it’s one in three. School closures, job disruptions, lack of paid sick leave and the health threat’s disproportionate impact on the elderly and low-income families are only a few aspects of this evolving crisis.
• Food banks are experiencing a decrease in donations, unique product distribution challenges, declining volunteer groups, and an increased product demand for vulnerable populations.

“Few things are more fundamental to our ability to lead healthy and productive lives than having adequate access to nutritious food,” said AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana Market President Kyle Viator. “AmeriHealth Caritas is proud to support Feeding Louisiana’s mission to serve as a unified voice for Louisiana’s hungry by providing short-term food relief while seeking long-term solutions to hunger.”

“Feeding Louisiana and its members are deeply appreciative for AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana’s support of its efforts in responding to increased food assistance needs due to the spread of COVID-19,” said Feeding Louisiana Executive Director Korey Patty. “This gift will allow Louisiana’s food banks to serve more impacted individuals and families through the distribution of more than 70,000 meals to communities in need across all 64 parishes of the state.”

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Today’s donation is a continuation of AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana’s long-standing support of Louisiana’s food banks. In addition to the health plan’s monetary contributions, its associates have volunteered hundreds of hours to organizing food drives and packing food boxes at food banks throughout the state.