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:

After COVID-19 Pandemic, Making New Friendships Important for Men’s Health

6/20/2023 • Posted by Dr. Gaurav Malhotra and Dr. Sudeep Ross, Fidelis Care Medical Directors in Health and Wellness, Men's Health, Mental Health

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected people’s lives in many ways, including its impact on our mental health. At the start of the pandemic, social distancing was required to reduce the spread of the disease. That meant many people started to work remotely and only saw their friends using online meeting platforms.

For many businesses, there was no going back. The elimination of work commutes combined with the flexibility of working from home became the new normal.

Many companies found ways to engage with employees remotely through webinars and lunch and learn events. And while these efforts help connect employees, there is a concern that work-based friendships have decreased in the remote environment.

This is most troubling for men, who have been facing a “friendship recession” for the past several years. According to a recent study by the Survey Center on American Life, the percentage of men with at least six close friends decreased by half since 1990, from 55 percent to 27 percent. The study also found 15 percent of men said they had no close friends, up from 3 percent in 1990.

Before the pandemic, the workplace offered a lot of men one of their main social outlets: workplace connections. Now, for remote workers, those lunchroom conversations and office drop-ins have vanished, eliminating another social touchpoint.

Men’s Health Month in June offers us the opportunity to raise awareness for the health risks facing men – and women – when they don’t engage with friends. A University of Texas at Austin study found that “adults who are more socially connected are healthier and live longer than their more isolated peers.”

Men are encouraged to look for ways to connect. Participating in EIGs and other groups at work, joining a book club, volunteering at their kids’ activities, or signing up for an exercise group are good ways to meet other people. During those activities, it’s important to try to make connections with others. By building these friendships, men can find outlets for their feelings and emotions.

Also, it is important to realize that loneliness can lead to depression. If that happens, remember it’s OK to seek help.

Additional Resources:

https://www.americansurveycenter.org/research/the-state-of-american-friendship-change-challenges-and-loss/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3150158/

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-health-benefits-of-strong-relationships

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6142169/