Griffin, TEAM, Others, Donate To Valley Food Banks

A white Salvation Army van was backed up to a bay of Contractor Nation’s loading dock at 50 Cogwheel Lane Monday morning, with a line of volunteers carrying boxes of fish filets, organic citrus, pineapples, blueberries, tomatoes and other fresh produce to fill the back of the vehicle.

Griffin Health and TEAM, Inc. led the effort to distribute more than 275 cases of food to lower Naugatuck Valley food banks with the aid of volunteers from IPG-Better Packages Inc. of Ansonia.

Patrick Charmel, president and CEO of Griffin Health, and David Morgan, president and CEO of Team, Inc., gathered everyone together before starting their work.

“This is something we feel passionate about,” Charmel said. ​“This is our second distribution. We felt compelled to work with David to increase the food donations and the nutritional value of what’s being donated.”

According to the U.S. Dairy and Agriculture Department, 37.2 million people live in food insecure households. Though Connecticut has some of the highest income per capita families in the nation, many communities in the state have far lower income levels and families struggle to provide basic needs, especially in the Valley.

In 2016, 16 United Way agencies in Connecticut released a report on Asset Limited, Income Constrained Employed (ALICE) homes earning above the federal poverty level, but less than the cost of living threshold needed to afford basic needs.

In Ansonia and Derby, the Valley’s two most economically challenged cities, the percentage of households below the federal poverty level and ALICE thresholds are 60 percent and 52 percent.

Morgan said just under 2,000 people depend on food pantries in the Valley every month and of those, 15 percent are residents over age 60 and 30 percent, or about 600, are children.

He said difficult economic backgrounds can increase the likelihood of poor health outcomes for residents.

Donation guidelines

Griffin Health partnered with Bozzuto’s Inc., a large food distributor in New England. Charmel said Griffin buys the food at wholesale prices from Bozzuto’s and works with TEAM and volunteers to distribute the food to local pantries every other week.

Bozzuto’s gives Griffin Health a 25 percent discount, because the food is going to food pantries.

Among the beneficiaries are Spooner House in Shelton, Seymour-Oxford Food Bank in Seymour, St. Vincent de Paul in Derby, Salvation Army in Ansonia, and the Christ Episcopal Church Kathleen Samela Memorial Food Bank in Ansonia.

Todd Liu, vice president for accountable care and general counsel at Griffin Health, was among Monday morning’s volunteers.

“It’s tremendous,” he said. ​“It’s really, really important work for the community. Food insecurity is a vital issue when it comes to health. We believe if we’re going to improve the health of the community, people have to have access to nutritious food.”

Liu said Griffin Health found many of the donations to local food pantries include unhealthy items like cheesecakes and pastries, and wanted to ensure pantries have more nutritious foods.

“We actually published donation guidelines,” Charmel said.

Griffin Health is home to the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, one of 25 research centers funded by the Center for Disease Control in the country. Charmel said the center came up with the guidelines for potential donors.

While providing food, Griffin Health also worked with TEAM to ensure area food pantries work together and develop an inventory system, according to Charmel. 

“It just makes the operation more efficient and effective and they can learn best practices from each other,” he said.

The relationship between TEAM and Griffin Health goes beyond fighting food insecurity. To improve health in the community, Griffin decided to focus on the underlying issues affecting Valley residents, such as access to nutritious foods, steady employment, personal financial stability, transportation, housing quality and safe neighborhoods. 

Charmel said Griffin Health often screens its patients and refers them to TEAM for assistance for things such as fuel, support for rent and security deposits, job training and Meals on Wheels.

“We created an emergency fund to make sure TEAM has the money it needs,” he said.

Griffin Health and TEAM​’s efforts receive a boost from corporations like Bozzuto’s, Contractor Nation and IPG-Better Packages.

Philip White, CEO emeritus of IPG-Better Packages, who serves on Griffin Health’s board of directors, was among the volunteers Monday.

White said IPG-Better Packages promotes community involvement in all of its locations and its executives serve on the boards of several nonprofits, such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the United Way.

“You have to walk it. You can’t just talk it,” White said. ​“Food is one of those necessities of life. In my case, being on the Griffin board I’m cognizant of the issue of wellness. Griffin wants to do things to prevent illness and part of that is nutrition.”