A Virginia community health center is part of a program addressing food scarcity.

The National Association of Community Health Centers' 2024 Innovation Incubator creates ways to expand healthy food access. Tri-Area Community Health Center's Laurel Fork location will have funding and guidance from experts to help them design and test community-based solutions.

Merrill Warschoff Press, senior vice president of partnership, development and innovation for the National Association of Community Health Centers, said the centers are uniquely suited to address local food issues.

"Health centers are highly effective and innovated with integrated models of care," Press explained. "They reach far beyond the walls of the traditional exam room, not only to prevent illness and treat it but to really address the social drivers that may cause poor health."

Food insecurity has grown since pandemic-era programs ended in 2023. Emergency allotments provided SNAP recipients with an added $95 per month for 470,000 families statewide. However, some people are above or below SNAP's qualifying threshold.

Other issues stem from food prices. The Consumer Price Index shows food prices grew between 2022 and 2023 but in recent months, prices have been declining.

A primary goal of the Innovation Incubator is to discover best practices for providing care for millions of people and share them with health centers nationwide. Press noted the methods being worked out can help varying populations.

"There are many health centers who have large populations of patients who come from other countries and are used to certain foods, and have different preferences," Press observed. "Being able to work with them in their own language with the foods that they like and trust is really valuable to improving access to food that'll make a difference in their lives."

Food pantries have been key to reducing food insecurity wherever possible. Virginia food banks saw a 5% to 10% increase in demand at the end of 2022, which is problematic since food banks nationwide are seeing donations decline and reduced commodities from the Emergency Food Assistance Program.

With the 2025 legislative session around the corner, the nonprofit advocacy group Alabama Arise said it plans to take aim at poverty and systemic challenges that hit families the hardest.

Big issues like health care access, public transportation and unfair court fines often weigh on lower-income families.

Robyn Hyden, executive director of Alabama Arise, said it is time for state leaders to step up and tackle the concerns.

"Our state, because we underfund state government and we underfund our court systems, we heavily rely on fines and fees that really disproportionately hurt low-income families and working families," Hyden contended.

Hyden believes cutting court fines and fees could be life-changing for some, freeing up money for essentials like food and health care. She highlighted the need for Medicaid expansion, removing the grocery tax and protecting voting rights as top priorities for 2025. State legislators have so far refused to expand Medicaid.

One of the most pressing issues Alabama Arise wants to see addressed is health care during and after pregnancy since the state has among the highest rates of maternal and infant mortality. A new report from Pregnancy Justice shows Alabama led the nation with 104 prosecutions of pregnant people in the year following the Dobbs decision.

Hyden stressed she wants to see an end to the state criminalizing pregnancy-related issues and instead, improving access to prenatal care.

"We don't think that women should be prosecuted because they have a miscarriage," Hyden emphasized. "We believe that health care providers should be able to provide lifesaving care to women in those situations. And we believe that when women are given drugs during labor, which does happen, they should not then be incarcerated or have their children removed."

The legislative session begins in February. Hyden added Alabama Arise is planning an advocacy day in March to unite voices in support of low-income and working families.

Blood banks nationwide and in Arkansas are encouraging people to make a blood donation this time of year and possibly save a life.

Blood donations are used in cancer treatments, for people who have been involved in vehicle crashes and people undergoing surgery.

Erin Goff, donor recruitment director for Our Blood Institute, said they typically see a decrease in donations during the holidays.

"People are busy, people have lives and travel and different things for the holidays to see family," Goff observed. "That means that accidents typically are higher during this time of year and donations are down because people aren't in their local areas."

Seasonal illnesses, school breaks and severe weather also contribute to decreases in donations. O-Negative is the universal blood type and can be used for anyone but she added during the holidays everyone who can donate should, to help keep hospital shelves stocked.

Our Blood Institute provides blood to hospitals in the Little Rock and Fort Smith area. Any Arkansan 16 years old or older can donate. Goff noted donor restrictions have changed throughout the years.

"Sometimes there were people that were in the military overseas that were told they couldn't donate," Goff recounted. "That's not true anymore. People that had tattoos think they can't donate. As long as you had it in a licensed shop you can donate. If you're ever in question, reach out to your local blood center and see if you're eligible to donate."

Goff emphasized only about 6% of people who are eligible to donate do so. According to the American Red Cross, someone in America needs a blood transfusion every two seconds and one donation can save up to three lives.


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In this year's devastating hurricane season, Florida community health centers are proving indispensable in disaster response and recovery, providing far more than medical care.

The back-to-back blows of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton left the region reeling, testing the resilience and adaptability of health care providers.

Kim Schuknecht, chief operating officer of Evara Health in Pinellas County, said they had plans to deploy mobile units to beach communities after Hurricane Helene but Milton's swift arrival and widespread flooding thwarted the efforts.

"By the time we were able to get that all worked out with the mayors of the different areas, here comes Milton," Schuknecht recounted. "We weren't even able after the first hurricane to get out there. That really was an inhibitor for us to be able to go out and do some mobile services because so many areas, we couldn't drive in them."

She pointed out they extended their operating hours to navigate those challenges. While providing services at emergency shelters, they discovered people were asking for help with needs beyond behavioral health and medical care. They ended up gathering supplies so evacuees could take showers in one of the mobile units.

Schuknecht noted one lesson learned is the demands were greater than anticipated, even beyond basic medical care.

"Baby wipes, things that we -- hadn't been through this type of situation before -- things that you just take for granted and don't really think about," Schuknecht explained. "We've learned to have more supplies on hand, different supplies than what we're used to."

As Florida looks ahead to the next hurricane season, Schuknecht noted her operation is refining its emergency preparedness strategies. Plans include more tabletop exercises and strengthening new collaborations, such as a partnership with the Red Cross, which she emphasized will be crucial for future responses.

Schuknecht added this season's experiences have shaped her company's approach to future planning, ensuring they remain a cornerstone of support in the face of Florida's unpredictable storms.

"I think we all learned a lot," Schuknecht acknowledged. "All of the agencies here in the county, including Evara Health, we were very fortunate to be able to have the resources to assist. And we're glad we were called upon to be able to provide the care that we did."


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