Addressing Food Insecurity During the Holidays
But that doesn’t mean that we’re blind to our community’s problems. More than a quarter of Douglas County kids don’t have access to enough food. Our homelessness population increased nearly 15% from 2015 to 2017, and more than 620 Douglas County students were considered homeless in the 2017-2018 school year.
At Umpqua Health, we strive to help our members, our neighbors and our families find ways to be their healthiest selves. But the concept of health doesn’t start and end in a doctor’s office. Thankfully, neither does Umpqua Health.
As we prepare to give thanks for a wealth of benefits we are lucky enough to experience, we understand that not everyone in this community has the same good fortune. While Umpqua Health regularly donates hundreds of thousands of dollars to many projects and programs that address health and wellbeing in Douglas County, this year we wanted to do more. Many of our friends and neighbors don’t have enough food, and Umpqua Health decided to do something about it.
45 somethings, actually.
In mid-November, Umpqua Health donated 45 turkeys to three local organizations that work to address food insecurity. These turkeys will help feed our community’s homeless adults and children, our housebound seniors and the disabled. These turkeys are more than just a meal: they’re a way of ensuring that every Douglas County resident has access to adequate nutrition.
Umpqua Health is a leader in this community. But leading is more than just a word: it’s a way of life. Umpqua Health is proud to continue our legacy of compassion as we work towards creating a healthier Douglas County.
