O'Connor Hospital's Fresh Produce Partnership Harvests a Successful 2024 Season

Delaware County, NY –  The pilot year of a philanthropic program, distributing free, locally-grown produce to older adults in need was highly impactful and planning is underway to continue and potentially expand the initiative in 2025.

The farm-to-family effort was made possible through a partnership between O’Connor Hospital, the Delaware County Office for the Aging & NY Connects, Schoharie Valley Farms, and Delaware Opportunities Inc., with funding from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) New York.

In total, 2,338 boxes, each containing a half bushel of healthy food were distributed across Delaware County, according to coordinator Susan Hammerslag with the Delaware County Office for the Aging, SNAP-Ed, and NY Connects. 14 weekly distributions started in July and ran through October, benefiting 167 recipients. The boxes of produce were delivered in six locations: Delhi, Grand Gorge, Hancock, Margaretville, Sidney, and Walton.

“The program was originally expected to conclude earlier, but it was extended by four additional weeks this October,” says Susan. “We are thankful to the trustees at O’Connor Hospital and Bassett Healthcare Network for their help in making both the extension and the program possible.”

“All of us at O’Connor Hospital appreciate the hard work that went into this initiative promoting the health of our community through access to nutritious foods,” said Don Harris, a longtime board member at O’Connor Hospital.

“The conversations I had with Susan, as well as with Ethan and Mary Ball of Schoharie Valley Farms were informative and uplifting. So much hard work, skill, and desire to help local neighbors went into making this program such a triumph.”

In total, O’Connor Hospital provided over $28,000 in funding to support the program. The hospital’s leadership and clinicians, together with Bassett Healthcare Network’s Population Health Department, also offered community needs assessment data and outreach support.

Deliveries are expected to begin again in the summer of 2025. The exact start date is currently being planned.

About Bassett Healthcare Network

Bassett Healthcare Network is an integrated health system that provides care and services to people living in a 5,600 square mile region in central New York. The organization includes five corporately affiliated hospitals, over two dozen community-based health centers, more than 20 school-based health centers, two skilled nursing facilities, and other health partners in related fields. To learn more about services available throughout the Bassett Healthcare Network, visit www.bassett.org. Follow Bassett on Facebook, X (formery Twitter), and LinkedIn. Bassett Healthcare Network is an equal opportunity provider and employer.