Addressing Food Insecurity, Economic Stability For Youth In Southwest Baltimore
Increasing access to affordable, high-quality healthcare for our members and those living in the communities we serve continues to be a top priority for CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst). But we know medical care is estimated to only account for 10-20% of a person’s overall health, with social, economic and environmental factors accounting for the remaining 80-90%.
CareFirst remains steadfast in its commitment to addressing the root causes of health disparities as a not-for-profit healthcare company. As a result, we recently partnered with the Baltimore Orioles on a three-year initiative in support of The Food Project, an organization empowering Baltimore youth through food.
In addition to addressing food insecurity and increasing access to sustainable food sources, the partnership will also create employment and mentorship opportunities for young residents of Southwest Baltimore.
“The Food Project addresses numerous social determinants of health, or the non-clinical factors impacting individual and community health outcomes. By working together to address these factors, The Food Project, CareFirst and the Orioles will remove barriers and accelerate good health in our communities.”
Dr. Destiny-Simone Ramjohn, Vice President of Community and Social Impact for CareFirst
Over the next three years, funds pledged by CareFirst and the Orioles will create several jobs within The Food Project, which also aims to address youth unemployment and support young entrepreneurs. Positions funded through the partnership include an operations manager, kitchen manager, meal deliverer and production manager for Seedy Nutty Granola—a popular food item developed by The Food Project and available for sale at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Impact Of Food Insecurity In Baltimore City
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 38.3 million people lived in food-insecure households in 2020, including 6.1 million children. And while Maryland is among one of the wealthiest states in America, one in three Marylanders are still impacted by food insecurity, including more than 93,000 residents in Baltimore City, making it one of the most food insecure counties in the state.
Furthermore, recent data shows Black and Hispanic households are twice as likely to experience food insecurity. From 2019 to 2020, the USDA also reported nearly 22% of Black households and 17% of Hispanic households experienced food insecurity compared to 7% of white households nation-wide.
The COVID-19 pandemic only further exacerbated this public health concern in Baltimore City, with food insecurity rates increasing from 18% to 21.7%, and more than 33% of children being food insecure. As participation in programs like SNAP skyrocketed, the need to improve access to nutritious foods became critical.
“Racial disparities in food access and food insecurity continue to persist in our region—disparities that only grew due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr. Ramjohn. “We are eager to embark on this partnership with the Baltimore Orioles and The Food Project that will directly address these inequities in Southwest Baltimore.”
Visit CareFirst’s community website for more information about our commitment to community health and social impact.