Yale New Haven Health Combats Hunger Through #GiveHealthy Initiative

There is the saying, “giving is caring and caring is giving.” 

As part of the #GiveHealthy Movement, Yale New Haven Health (YNHHS) participated in a healthy food drive. There were fresh fruits, vegetables and other healthy food items to help hunger organizations throughout the state and region during winter months when donations are fewer. 

Donating food to food drives is one of the most popular forms of giving in the United States. More people donate food than watch the Super Bowl each year, a great display of the public’s interest in supporting one of the most pressing social issues – hunger. However, traditional food drives are limited to non-perishable donations, often highly processed, nutrient deficient food. 

“Access to fruits and vegetables makes a huge difference in the quality of food we can offer our clients,” said Alicia McAvay, co-director of Administration of FRESH, New London’s Food to the People Pantry. “We serve over 400 families a week, making it hard to ensure we have enough fresh, healthy food for everyone. 

"Programs like this help us get high quality food in the hands of more New London families,” added McAvay. 

#GiveHealthy is an organization that provides an online platform for hunger- relief organizations to set up “registries” listing items they need. YNHHS employees, departments and medical staff supported one or more hunger-relief organizations in YNHHS delivery networks’ communities. 

The food was shipped from suppliers directly to hunger-relief organizations and donors purchased healthy food items, including fresh produce. 

“The 42 million plus people struggling with food insecurity also face high rates of diet related health issues – things like obesity, diabetes, cancer – due to a lack of access to healthy food. A lot of food that gets donated actually worsens these health conditions. What was needed were healthy food donations and that was our goal from the beginning,” said Augusta Mueller, community benefit manager, Yale New Haven Health. 

This year’s drive, which ran March 1 – 31 coincided with National Nutrition Month. The donated food translated into nearly 18,300 meals for people in need throughout Connecticut, in Westerly, RI, and Port Chester, NY. 

Yale New Haven Hospital donors gave 7,317 pounds of food – 6,098 meals – through the Coordinated Food Access Network to support the United Way of Greater New Haven’s (UWGNH) annual April school break food distribution for New Haven Public Schools. 

In 2024, hundreds of employees and medical staff across the system donated more than 21,950 pounds of food to hunger-relief organizations during YNHHS’ fourth #GiveHealthy online food drive. 

The initiative was organized through a collaboration among YNHHS’ Office of Health Equity & Community Impact, Community and Government Relations, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging, Human Resources, marketing and Communications, Employee Wellbeing, and Food and Nutrition.