Neighborhood’s vision is a community where everyone is healthy and happy. Many of Neighborhood’s patients live at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. For an individual, that’s less than $25,760 per year. For a family of four, that’s less than $53,000 annually.
Of Neighborhood’s approximately 87,000 patients, 74% rely on Medi-Cal, 8% rely on Medicare, 15% are uninsured, and 3% are enrolled in private insurance. Too often, most of Neighborhood’s Medi-Cal and Medicare patients, both need-based programs, also experience food insecurity. That is why Neighborhood teams with Feeding San Diego for a common purpose: connect every person facing hunger with nutritious meals by maximizing food rescue efforts in our communities.
In 2022, Neighborhood became a certified food distribution center for Feeding San Diego. The monthly or bimonthly event takes place at Neighborhood’s Date health center. Centrally located in Escondido, the area is accessible by both car and foot. Neighborhood employee volunteers bag, sort and distribute food to families and children, the elderly, or anyone else in need. It is common for food to be exhausted long before the event’s end, proving the need is far greater than one might realize.
Each car that drives through receives 50 pounds worth of dried goods, fresh produce, and pantry staples. For many, it represents hunger relief and a guarantee of much-needed nutrition for themselves and their loved ones. To date, Neighborhood and Feeding San Diego have provided food to nearly 3,000 households, Including thousands of children; nearly 11,000 people in all.
This is just one example of the value of Neighborhood’s partnerships. Our partners and employees are mission-minded, providing whole-person care and valuable resources both in and out of our health centers.