FSL (Foundation for Senior Living) announced it was recently selected for a $50,000 community reinvestment grant from Banner Health’s Banner – University Family Care to support services providing weekly and emergency food boxes and hot meals to seniors and adults with disabilities in Peoria, Glendale, Wickenburg and Tempe.

“We are grateful for Banner’s support in tackling food insecurity in Maricopa County, especially having seen an increase in individuals reaching out for services who are struggling with the rising costs of living,” said Tami Bohannon, president and CEO of FSL. “Sometimes, they must make the impossible choice between paying for their medications or putting food on the table. This invaluable partnership will help us improve nutrition and health outcomes for the communities we serve.”

Support from Banner – University Family Care will help fund essential needs across FSL’s nutrition program, including supporting staff salaries, obtaining food items for preparation and distribution, the purchase of packing materials and replenishing needed kitchen supplies used to continue supplying hot meals.

The grant comes as FSL has seen a year-over-year increase in calls for assistance. Food insecurity in Arizona rose from 12.5 percent in 2019 to 14.5 percent in 2022, according to America’s Health Rankings. And recent research from Feeding America shows that more than 7 million seniors across the country could be food insecure by 2050.

Banner – University Family Care provides support to organizations tackling health-related social needs with an emphasis on health equity and addressing social risk factors through their Community Reinvestment Program. The initiative improves access to high-quality medical care and community-based services to fulfill the Banner Health mission to make health care easier, so life can be better.

“Rooted in the communities we serve; Banner creates the best experience through care and coverage for our members,” shared Banner Health Plans health equity complete care administrator Gil Velez. “Banner Health Plans supports our community partners like FSL to develop projects addressing health equity and the social determinants of health to ensure everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health.”

FSL’s nutrition programming provides more than 330,000 pounds of food annually through its food pantries and approximately 400 hot meals daily to seniors and adults with disabilities through home deliveries and in congregate settings at senior centers and adult day health facilities.

In 2024, the organization expects to provide more than 85,000 hot meals and to distribute enough food through the pantries to equal approximately 275,000 meals, ensuring low-income seniors and those with disabilities will have their nutritional needs met throughout the year.