Through mobile markets and SNAP Incentives, RIPHI’s Food on the Move program brings fresh, affordable produce directly to communities struggling with food insecurity
Monday’s launch event featured free produce for Forand Manor community members, as well as a COVID-19 booster vaccine clinic open to all residents and employees
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Nov. 4, 2021 – Commonwealth Care Alliance® (CCA), a nationally recognized not-for-profit, community-based, integrated healthcare organization focused on care and coordination for high-cost, high-needs individuals, joined the Rhode Island Public Health Institute and a group of local elected leaders on Monday to celebrate the official launch of the Food on the Move program’s newest mobile produce market, located at the Forand Manor Senior Housing facility in Central Falls.
With the launch of this market, Food on the Move, a program of the Rhode Island Public Health Institute (RIPHI), will bring fresh produce directly to the residents of Forand Manor and the broader community every Wednesday from 9:30–11:30 am. All customers will receive a SNAP Incentive in the form of a 50% discount on purchases paid for with SNAP benefits.
Monday’s celebration was attended by Forand Manor residents, staff and executives along with the greater Central Falls community, and featured remarks from State Representatives Joshua Giraldo and Jean Philippe Barros, State Senator Jonathan Acosta and leadership from CCA. In addition to celebrating Food on the Move’s expansion, the event also featured a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic, administered by the Rhode Island Department of Health, which helped Forand Manor residents, employees and community members receive their COVID-19 booster shot.
“Rhode Islanders of all ages deserve equitable access to affordable healthy food options,” said Governor Dan McKee. “SNAP Incentives and Food on the Move’s lineup of mobile produce markets across the state are such an important part of the State’s food ecosystem. I congratulate the Rhode Island Public Health Institute for its latest program expansion and thank them for helping aging Rhode Islanders get their COVID-19 booster shots. Together, we can keep Rhode Islanders healthy.”
“The number of individuals and families in Rhode Island experiencing food insecurity is at a crisis level, and the issue is most acute in Central Falls. Our statewide hunger problem is also mushrooming as a result of rapid inflation,” said Dr. Amy Nunn, Executive Director, Rhode Island Public Health Institute. “Through our SNAP Incentive Program, and by bringing fresh produce directly into communities that would otherwise struggle to access it, the Food on the Move program aims to address this crisis and help Rhode Islanders lead healthier lives. I applaud our team for their efforts in establishing this newest location, and I thank our corporate sponsors at Commonwealth Care Alliance and the leaders in Central Falls and state government for their ongoing support for this critical issue.”
“Food insecurity deeply impacts many of our families here in Central Falls, now more than ever during this pandemic,” said Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera. “I’m excited to see the Food on the Move program open a location in our City, and I thank the leaders at the Rhode Island Public Health Institute and Commonwealth Care Alliance for their attention to this important issue, and for the support of our CF Housing Authority for helping to make this possible at Forand Manor.”
The Forand Manor location is Food on the Move’s fourth mobile produce market location in Rhode Island. Its launch was funded in part through a $25,000 donation made by CCA earlier this year. This donation was part of a nearly $60,000 commitment CCA made to support organizations addressing food insecurity in Rhode Island.
“We are proud to support the Rhode Island Public Health Institute’s Food on the Move program, and we congratulate and thank all involved in bringing this mobile produce market to Central Falls,” said Corey McCarty, Rhode Island General Manager, Commonwealth Care Alliance. “Addressing inequities in social determinants of health is at the core of CCA’s nationally recognized care model. We look forward to growing our partnerships with leaders in the Ocean State’s public health community to better serve Rhode Islanders with significant needs.”
Moving forward, the mobile produce market will be operational and open to the public at Forand Manor every Wednesday from 9:30–11:30 am, offering residents a 50% discount on fresh fruits and vegetables when they pay with their SNAP benefits.
About Commonwealth Care Alliance:
Commonwealth Care Alliance® (CCA) is an integrated care system that has earned national recognition for its proven expertise in complex care coordination and delivery through a focus on sustainable and evidence-based breakthroughs. A not-for-profit, community-based payer and provider serving individuals with significant health needs, CCA’s uncommon care® model is proven effective in addressing unmet social determinants of health, behavioral health and medical needs. Mission-based and person-centered, CCA has emerged in recent years as a national leader in innovating care for complex populations. For five consecutive years*, CCA One Care, the fastest growing Medicare-Medicaid Plan (MMP) of its kind in the country, earned a top overall experience rating from consumers; in 2020, CCA earned 93%, and CMS rated CCA Senior Care Options, a Massachusetts plan, 5 out of 5 stars for 2022.
CCA is committed to fostering an inclusive environment, and their efforts have been highlighted by The Boston Globe. In 2020, CCA was recognized in The Boston Globe’s Top Places to Work rankings, and was later ranked first for The Boston Globe’s Top Places to Work: Diversity Edition, which is based on the company’s dedication to making the workplace more diverse and equitable. Learn more about CCA’s pioneering healthcare solutions and validated care model at http://www.commonwealthcarealliance.org/or follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
*Based on the 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) surveys.
About the Rhode Island Public Health Institute:
The Rhode Island Public Health Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with the mission to promote community health and to eliminate health disparities in Rhode Island and beyond. We conduct research and develop programs to solve complex public health challenges. Recent programs focus on food access, HIV and STD prevention and care, HCV elimination, physical education, and policy making through a “health in all policies” approach. Our work is both local and national.
Learn more at www.RIPHI.org.
About Food on the Move:
Food on the Move makes healthy food accessible and affordable. Our mobile produce market brings fresh fruits and vegetables to neighborhoods throughout Rhode Island and lowers the cost of healthy food through a SNAP incentive program.
Learn more at www.RIPHI.org/Food-On-The-Move