Approximately a 4-minute learn

Key takeaways:

• It’s National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.
• The Housing Bureau for Seniors, Ann Arbor Meals on Wheels and Regional Alliance for Healthy Schools are all a part of Community Health Services at Michigan Medicine — they usually all help these managing homelessness and starvation.
• The applications assist Michigan Medicine present well being care exterior hospitals and well being facilities, “in the places where people live, work, play and pray.”

This week is National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, an opportunity to teach the general public and draw consideration to the causes of and challenges for these experiencing starvation and homelessness. 

At Michigan Medicine, the Housing Bureau for Seniors and a number of other different applications provide providers that stop homelessness and deal with starvation. These applications are a part of Community Health Services, whose key initiatives are designed with the aim of bettering the well being of our communities, together with caring for and selling the well being of youngsters and households and defending the well being and high quality of life for older adults.

Three CHS applications straight deal with homelessness and starvation: the aforementioned Housing Bureau for Seniors, Ann Arbor Meals on Wheels and the Regional Alliance for Healthy Schools.

Here’s what chances are you’ll not learn about these necessary companies:

Housing Bureau for Seniors

The Housing Bureau for Seniors (HBS) social work workforce assists renters and owners in securing sustainable housing via the supply of free housing counseling and case administration providers.

By helping older adults (55+) in acquiring or sustaining sustainable housing, HBS additionally helps their skill to safe wholesome nutritious meals, afford needed drugs and keep independence. 

“Sustainable housing for older adults ultimately results in improved mental health, fewer hospital visits and peace of mind,” stated Janet Hunko, director of the Housing Bureau for Seniors. “Older adults face many unique challenges as they age; housing should never be one of them.”

Of Washtenaw County’s 30,000 senior grownup households, almost 10,000 are “housing-cost burdened” which means they spend greater than one-third of their earnings on housing-related bills, making it tough for them to afford medicine and meals.

“It is critical that older adults maintain their housing in Washtenaw County as there is a severe shortage of affordable housing available,” stated Hunko. “We only have about 1.6 units of affordable housing for every 10 housing-cost-burdened households. And that problem is exacerbated by the fact that nearly 20 percent of homeless adults in Washtenaw County are 55 and older and need that same affordable housing.”

Ann Arbor Meals on Wheels

Ann Arbor Meals on Wheels (AAMOW) seeks to cut back starvation and meals insecurity in a culturally responsive method for the homebound within the Ann Arbor space who’re unable to buy and put together full, nutritious meals for themselves.

In FY22, AAMOW offered 128,835 Western, Asian, vegetarian, gluten free and liquid meals to 418 purchasers, together with 154 new purchasers, with the trustworthy help of 250 volunteers who donated 6,860 hours of their time.

When AAMOW purchasers have been requested in regards to the affect that AAMOW had on their lives, 86% agreed that residence delivered meals have been their most necessary supply of diet. Meanwhile, 98% of purchasers agreed that Meals on Wheels helps them keep of their residence and reside independently, 95% stated that they eat more healthy due to AAMOW, and 95% indicated that AAMOW helps them keep or obtain a wholesome weight.

Regional Alliance for Healthy Schools

The Regional Alliance of Healthy Schools (RAHS) operates a number of school-based well being facilities, which provide a singular setting for registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) to offer preventative diet providers to adolescents who more than likely wouldn’t have entry due transportation, monetary obstacles and different elements. 

This entry permits RDNs to conduct meals insecurity screening and constantly follow-up with sufferers. Individual diet counseling can be offered and may be expanded to a bunch setting with bodily exercise and use of evidenced primarily based curricula.

“Monitoring progress, connecting with families, and building relationships with community partners for resources is imperative to community success,” stated Allison Shannon, M.P.H., R.D.N. lead medical dietitian for RAHS.

RAHS companions with Food Gatherers for meals distribution and the Washtenaw County Health Department’s Prescription for Health program to offer households with a script for procuring contemporary vegetables and fruit from regional farmers markets and faculty wellness groups to seek the advice of on an ongoing foundation to handle considerations recognized by college districts.

A sturdy community of help

In whole, CHS is comprised of 9 totally different departments which have a powerful basis of group help, all of which positively affect the group’s well being and well-being.

“These programs represent Michigan Medicine’s commitment to the community — health care does not only occur inside the four walls of the hospital, but in the places where people live, work, play and pray,” stated Alfreda Rooks, director of CHS. “We’re proud of the work we do to build bridges and connect communities to programs and services that support improved health and quality of life.”

Check out the video on the high of the web page for views from those that have lived with housing instability in Washtenaw County.