Martin's Point Donates $22,000 to Ease Hunger for Area Seniors and Children

Gift celebrates Martin's Point 2019 ranking as the #22 Best Workplace in Health Care

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May 22, 2019, 12:43 ET

PORTLAND, Maine, May 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- This month, Martin's Point Health Care will donate $22,000 to ease food insecurity among seniors and children in Maine. The gift includes an $11,000 donation in continued support of the Southern Maine Agency on Aging's Meals on Wheels program, which alleviates hunger and isolation among homebound seniors, and an $11,000 donation to Full Plates Full Potential, a collaborative effort to end child hunger in Maine.

The total amount of the donations has special significance, as Martin's Point celebrates earning the #22 spot on Fortune magazine's Great Place to Work® 2019 ranking of U.S. health care organizations. Martin's Point was the only New England organization to break the top 25, with rankings determined by a survey of almost 730,000 U.S. employees.

"We owe this achievement to our employees' commitment to sustaining a culture that respects and nurtures all of us—within our organization and in our community at large," said Dr. David Howes, President and CEO of Martin's Point. "In that nurturing spirit, our donations to local organizations focused on nourishing the most vulnerable in our community seemed like the perfect way to celebrate and thank our employees for their efforts."

Food insecurity is no small problem in Maine, hitting children and seniors particularly hard. One out of five children in the state don't have enough to eat, reports Full Plates Full Potential, a Maine nonprofit that unites the food community, private citizens, and government organizations to stem childhood hunger. And, in the last six months, the Southern Maine Agency on Aging reports a record number of referrals for its Meals on Wheels program, which currently serves more than 700 adults age 60 and up in Cumberland and York counties.

"We have more than 250 clients waiting to receive Meals on Wheels," says Renee Longarini, Nutrition Manager at Southern Maine Area of Aging. "Generous donations like this from Martin's Point allow us to get more meals out and shorten the length of time they wait to receive those meals. [This] $11,000 will allow us to provide 1,375 meals to those in need."

"This donation will fund grants to help Maine public schools change their culture around food access and remove barriers, so every child that needs food can grow and learn," says Justin Alfond, cofounder of Full Plates Full Potential. "We're honored to have support from Martin's Point."

The $22K donation from Martin's Point is part of their continuing commitment to foster a healthier community. Efforts include charitable giving; strategic partnerships with community organizations like University of Southern Maine, Southern Maine Agency on Aging, American Heart Association, and American Diabetes Association; and engaging employees with paid time off to volunteer.

About Martin's Point Health Care

Martin's Point Health Care is a not-for-profit organization providing primary and specialty health care and health insurance plans. They operate seven health care centers and offer Medicare Advantage plans in Maine and New Hampshire and offer TRICARE® insurance plans in northern New England, New York, and Pennsylvania. Visit them at www.MartinsPoint.org.

SOURCE Martin's Point Health Care