Nutrition Assistance Provided by Joint Business Initiative

La Familia Counseling Center is revealing a new collaboration to connect under-resourced families to vital nutrition assistance resources. The focus will be on the South Sacramento area and will include CalFresh education and information outreach to families with the goal of easing the enrollment process.

The partnership with the American Heart Association – the world’s leading voluntary health organization dedicated to building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke; and Health Net – one of the state’s longest-serving and most experienced Medi-Cal partners – will help hundreds of families keep food on their tables.

“We have witnessed first-hand how many families have been affected by the pandemic and have experienced food insecurity,” said Rachel Rios, Executive Director at La Familia Counseling Center. “We are grateful for the support the American Heart Association and Health Net are providing to our organization so we can continue to move quickly and provide our community members the food and resources they need so they won’t experience hunger.”

Every Tuesday and Thursday, La Familia supports families who need assistance enrolling in the Cal Fresh program. Clients enrolled in the program will also receive a one-time produce box providing them with direct access to fresh fruits and vegetables and supplementing their meals while they wait for their CalFresh benefits. In addition to CalFresh, La Familia is connecting food-insecure families to other resources including food banks, Meals on Wheels, school meal programs.

Health Net provided $50,000 in support of the American Heart Association’s mission for one year which included a community collaboration on nutrition security. With this funding, La Familia team members received training and technical assistance from the American Heart Association on how to screen and enroll clients who are eligible in the CalFresh food assistance program.

“We know that better health outcomes start first and foremost with access to critical resources like fresh and healthy food options,” said Dr. Ramiro Zuniga, Vice President and Medical Director at Health Net. “That’s why we invest in innovative programs that meet our members where they are. Through this approach, we aim to deliver seamless, coordinated care at every stage of life. COVID-19 has amplified the critical need to fight hunger in Sacramento, and through this collaboration, we can do our part to provide relief in a long-term, sustainable, and heart-healthy way.”

“Equitable access to good nutrition is essential to preventing chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes, supporting a good cardiovascular system and cognitive development. By providing training and technical assistance to collaborating organizations that share our mission we can address a critical need that can translate to a lasting impact for generations,” said Jessica Gordan-Lannom, Executive Director, American Heart Association Sacramento Division.

Food insecurity is the limited or uncertain availability of enough food for an active, healthy life. Reasons can include the inability to acquire food in socially acceptable ways. It can be chronic or sporadic. In 2020, Nourish Sacramento estimated that food insecurity affected 43% (174,000) of adults and 42% (63,000) of children in low-income households within Sacramento County.

About La Familia Counseling Center

La Familia Counseling Center, Inc. (La Familia) provides multicultural counseling, outreach and support services for children, youth, families and individuals of diverse backgrounds to help them overcome adversity and become empowered to succeed in their lives. For more than 40 years, La Familia has successfully operated programs that have been recognized on the local, state and national levels. All of La Familia’s services are free and bilingual staff members are available to meet the needs of our diverse community.