Annual Thanksgiving Fresh Produce Distribution to Community Members Expands to Seven Locations and 70,000 Pounds of Food

The Healthy Thanksgiving Fresh Produce Distribution Initiative stretched further than ever in its fourth year, with more than 70,000 pounds of fresh produce distributed across seven locations in the Bronx, Westchester, Rockland and Orange counties, thanks to the efforts of Montefiore Einstein’s Office of Community Affairs and a network of generous partners and volunteers dedicated to strengthening our communities’ health and resilience.

The local partners helping to distribute this fresh food, including community groups, faith-based organizations and elected officials, delivered it directly to those in need, making holiday meals more healthful and delicious for an estimated 28,000 individuals and families.

Fresh produce was distributed at our partner locations: Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall (10,000 pounds), Montefiore New Rochelle (5,000 pounds), Montefiore Mount Vernon (5,000 pounds), Montefiore Nyack (10,000 pounds), CUNY’s Lehman College (10,000 pounds), Montefiore Medical Group Throggs Neck (20,000 pounds), and Project BRAVO, our own food pantry, where we distributed 10,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables directly to Montefiore Einstein patients.

“By including our patients in our distribution efforts, we are directly addressing the intersection of healthcare and healthy eating,” said Kevin P. Fiori, MD, MPH, MS, FAAP, Vice Chair, Community Health & Engagement, Chief, Community & Population Health, Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Einstein; Director, Social Determinants of Health, Community & Population Health and the Community Health Worker Institute, Montefiore Einstein; Director, Community Health Systems Lab, Associate Professor, Pediatrics, Family and Social Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

The Project BRAVO participants were invited to select their own produce items to empower healthy choices and reduce food waste. English and Spanish recipes were provided for each type of vegetable, encouraging families to expand their repertoire of nutritious dishes. As part of our expanded effort this year and special focus on the many Montefiore Einstein community-based programs, we were able to provide for patients who expressed concerns with food insecurity. Our own Einstein medical students volunteered for these community-based distributions.

The Community Affairs team partnered with Westchester Produce, a local, family-owned business, to source the fresh vegetables for the event: staples like carrots and celery, along with plantains, yuca and collard greens—familiar favorites in many of the cultural communities we serve. Support and volunteers from Affinity by Molina Healthcare; AT&T; Lehman College, City University of New York; Chefs’ Warehouse and others were instrumental in the event’s success.

“Our annual Healthy Holiday initiative celebrates the season of Thanksgiving and promotes healthy eating to fight food insecurity,” said Melissa Cebollero, Associate Vice President, Community Affairs, Montefiore Einstein. “This is a vital component of our efforts to promote well-being and build healthier, more resilient communities.”