Giving Back to Our Communities

Fidelis Care Presents Brady Market with $5,000 Food Insecurity Grant

In observance of National Nutrition Month, Fidelis Care presented a $5,000 grant to support Brady Market’s programs to combat food insecurity in the Syracuse region. The grant is part of $315,000 in donations by Fidelis Care to nonprofit organizations on the front lines of fighting hunger across New York State. Food insecurity impacts about one in 10 New York households.

“Nutrition is healthcare,” said Fidelis Care Sales and Marketing Director Shannon Lombardo. “Fidelis Care is committed to promoting health and well-being in Syracuse and communities across New York State. That begins by partnering with organizations like Brady Market to help families and individuals gain access to healthy, nutritious foods.”

Brady Market in Syracuse, operated by not-for-profit Brady Social Enterprises, Inc., is a grocery store with retail and wholesale operations, deli and catering, job training, and wraparound support services. It was inspired by the 70-plus year history of Brady Faith Center’s engagement with generations of individuals and families in some of the community’s most impoverished neighborhoods.

“Brady Market is very grateful for this Fidelis Care grant,” said Brady Faith Center Director Kevin Frank. “We absolutely can’t do what we do without wonderful partners. For many who live in the community, Brady Market is the only place to get fresh fruits and vegetables. We plan to use the Fidelis Care funding to take the lead in collaborating with 20 neighborhood organizations to deliver meals for 220 families. One of the wonderful things about this program is that our partner organizations know who needs food support the most. It’s just one of the ways that we are more than a market in this community.”

Lombardo added, “We know that one meal is not going to solve a family’s food insecurity, but these grants give us an opportunity to connect people with agencies and organizations like Brady Market to help them find the resources they need for long-term solutions.”

Fidelis Care takes pride in supporting the vital work of Brady Market and the other food insecurity grant recipients across New York State because no one should suffer from hunger. Click here to see the full list of Fidelis Care food insecurity grant recipient organizations.

Screener Program Provides Support to Families Impacted by Social Determinants of Health

SDoH-chart

Fidelis Care’s innovative SDoH screener program was launched two years ago as a grassroots health equity initiative to address conditions in the environments where people are born, live, work, and play that affect their health, well-being, and quality of life. Social Determinants of Health can affect a wide range of health risks and outcomes – particularly among vulnerable populations and in underserved areas.

The screener enables trained Fidelis Care representatives to assess an individual’s immediate needs and challenges related to SDoH through a brief series of questions covering areas such as access to transportation, food, and secure and safe housing. More than 450,000 Fidelis Care members have participated to date.

Click here to learn more about the different Social Determinants of Health and find available resources.

Learn how Fidelis Care impacts the communities we are privileged to serve.

More News:

Fidelis Care, New York City FC Bring Healthy Recipes to Kids and Families this School Year

11/22/2021 • Posted by Fidelis Care in Corporate News, Lunchology

Health Plan’s Newest ‘Lunchology’ Menu Offers Creative, Fun Menus to Help Fuel Families on the Go this Fall

NYS PTA Survey Reveals Parents Welcome Healthy Snack Ideas

NEW YORK (October 6, 2021 ) – Fidelis Care, in partnership with New York City Football Club, is launching its newest “Lunchology” menu, featuring healthy, fun, and creative recipe ideas to help fuel busy families on the go – particularly as a new school year begins.

“Fidelis Care is proud to share our latest Lunchology menu, developed in partnership with New York City FC,” said Chief Member Engagement Officer, Pam Hassen. “These recipes are both kid- and parent-friendly, as well as fun and easy to make as a family. We’re proud to be a resource for health and wellness in the communities we serve.”

The statewide health plan is celebrating the 5^th year of its popular Lunchology program, which began in 2016 as a way to help families across New York State make good nutrition a priority. From breakfast and school lunch ideas, to quick and healthy dinners and snacks, the more than 50 Lunchology recipes have provided a helpful resource for hundreds of families over the years – all while encouraging quality time together, inspiring creativity in the kitchen, and promoting healthy, affordable choices.

The new Lunchology menu was developed by Chef Matt Gottlieb, Sous Chef Lalo Ortega, and Registered Dietician Elizabeth Canepari, and includes tasty breakfast ideas like overnight oats and a French toast casserole; easy-to-make meals like homemade chicken nuggets and taco zucchini boats; and a special dessert - healthy ice cream made from bananas.

To better understand the challenges facing families today, Fidelis Care also collaborated with the New York State Parent Teacher Association (NYSPTA) to survey parents about how their children’s eating habits have been impacted during the COVID pandemic, as well as their top concerns around nutrition as kids return to school.

The survey revealed that more than 60% of parents are concerned that their child developed unhealthy eating habits during the pandemic, while nearly 84% think their child would eat better if they had access to more healthy, nutritious, and inexpensive recipes. One major concern voiced by families is that their child’s habits around unhealthy snacking is a problem.

“Families continue to look for healthy and affordable meal and snack options for their children,” offered NYS PTA President Dana Platin. “Alarmingly, many families face food insecurity, and its critically important to give support as they support their children’s health and wellness. We look forward to working with Fidelis Care and NYCFC to continue to support our state’s children.”

“We’re excited to provide families with easy and fun recipes that will help fuel kids to run, jump, and play just like the players on the field,” added Chef Matt Gottlieb, Executive Chef for New York City FC. “Here at NYCFC, we understand that a healthy diet is essential for the overall health and well-being of our bodies, especially for active, growing kids. We hope that with these recipes, families can enjoy quality time and understand that eating healthy can be fun!”

To view the new Lunchology menu online and download a printable copy, visit www.fideliscare.org/lunchology . The menu is also available in Spanish.

About Fidelis Care:

Fidelis Care is a mission-driven health plan offering quality, affordable coverage for children and adults of all ages and at all stages of life. With more than 2.3 million members statewide, Fidelis Care believes that all New Yorkers should have access to affordable, quality health insurance. Follow us on Twitter at @fideliscare, Instagram at @fideliscare, and on Facebook at facebook.com/fideliscare. For more information, call Fidelis Care at 1-888-FIDELIS (1-888-343-3547) or visit fideliscare.org.

About New York City Football Club:

New York City Football Club (NYCFC) is an American professional soccer team that competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) in the Eastern Conference of the League. It was announced as the League's 20th franchise on May 21, 2013 and is the first and only MLS Club located within the five boroughs of New York City. NYCFC kicked off its inaugural MLS season in March 2015 and is majority owned by City Football Group (CFG). In 2019, the Club finished top of the Eastern Conference and qualified for the 2020 Concacaf Champions League for the first time in franchise history. NYCFC’s Academy features teams from the U-12 to U-19 age groups and became the first Academy in the country to win back-to-back national titles at the U-19 level. NYCFC proudly supports City in the Community (CITC) foundation to use the power of soccer to uplift communities; one of the programs, New York City Soccer Initiative (NYCSI) is a first-of-its-kind public-private community partnership to open 50 mini-soccer pitches in underserved NYC neighborhoods in five years.