“Ensuring access to fresh, unrefined, locally-sourced food in our hospitals demonstrates our health system’s commitment to preventive care,” said SLUHN’s Amy Previato, MPH, CHES, Network Director, Employee Wellness Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine.
Crooked Billet-Hallowell-Learning Community kicked off a new initiative called PA Preferred on October 16. PA Preferred is a program where all food served in the school district cafeteria is either grown, manufactured, or produced in PA. The Common Market farms were supported this year through the initiative.
“Proper nutrition is essential to the health and well-being of all Pennsylvanians,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “The health systems participating in the Good Food, Healthy Hospitals program show they are committed to creating a healthy environment for their patients, staff and visitors. We are excited that this program is growing and continues to provide residents with healthy, sustainably produced products.”
The Common Market was recently awarded a contract with Newark Public Schools, the largest public school district in the state of New Jersey, to supply local produce for summer meals and salad bars. They are excited to continue building their capacity to respond to these bids, as they make farm to school a reality for our growers and our school districts.
Pennsylvania Hospital uses The Common Market, a mission-driven distributor of sustainable, local farm foods, as their trusted local food supplier. The Common Market connects institutions and communities with good food from over 200 producers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.
Kiko speaks with Jeff Klova, Executive Chef at Temple University Hospital and Shelley Chamberlain, the Healthy Food in Healthcare Specialist for Philadelphia's Good Food Healthy Hospitals initiative and a representative of The Common Market, about sourcing more ingredients locally, serving less meat, wasting less food, and "nudges" that steer people to use food as medicine while at the hospital.
"Increasingly, hospitals in the region and around the country are focusing on healthy food, and not just for patients. In 2014, the City of Philadelphia partnered with the American Heart Association and the regional food distributor The Common Market to launch Philadelphia’s “Good Food, Healthy Hospitals” challenge, which called on hospitals to adopt standards in cafeteria meals, patient meals, catering, and vending machines."
"How does The Caring Center make local sourcing work for them? Erica identifies where farm-fresh foods will have the greatest impact, be most cost-effective, and meet parents’ requests: antibiotic- and hormone-free chicken and turkey; produce in peak season; whole wheat flours."
The Greater Philadelphia SIJ Awards honors our region’s most passionate social innovators, entrepreneurs and Changemakers whose work and social impact too often goes unacknowledged, yet their efforts are what makes our communities across Greater Philadelphia the thriving region of innovation and opportunity they are for all people. The Common Market won first place in the Social Ventures category.
“Student feedback is integral to enhancing the campus dining experience,” says Steven Lewis, Aramark’s marketing manager at Drexel. So last fall, the Philadelphia-based college rolled out more fresh, healthy food options utilizing sustainable food practices.
"The Common Market Texas is bringing critical support to our region of small farmers! Without [them], businesses like ours would have fewer options for growth. As a grower for and customer of The Common Market, the benefits of this organization's work is clear. They are creating greater and meaningful access to fresh, local food."
— Daniella Lewis, Plant It Forward Farms