McGovern and Project Bread Launch Hospital Hunger Initiative

Campaign Backed by USDA Secretary Vilsack, Governor Patrick, and Lieutenant
Governor Murray

BOSTON, Nov. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a groundbreaking move for
antihunger work, Congressman James P. McGovern (D-Worcester) called for all of
the state's hospitals to take an active role in helping hungry patients in
their care.

"With 554,000 people in Massachusetts now food insecure," said McGovern at
today's press conference at UMass Memorial Health Care in Worcester, "we have
a problem that spurs us to seek nontraditional partners capable of relieving
hunger -- and chief among these are hospitals."

Lending their support to today's event were USDA Secretary Thomas J. Vilsack,
Governor Deval L. Patrick, Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. Murray, and Project
Bread's Ellen Parker, creating a united front in support of McGovern's
hospital campaign.

Said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, "President Obama and I are committed
to improving the nutrition and health of all Americans, but particularly
children, which is why we are looking forward to working with Congress to
improve the health and nutrition of America's families through the Child
Nutrition Reauthorization. The collaborative effort we are celebrating at
today's event, and others like it, will play a key role in eliminating the
barriers that keep families from participating in nutrition programs and
reduce food insecurity in our communities."

To a packed room of antihunger activists, hospital providers, and media,
McGovern unveiled a new handbook, written and produced by Project Bread in
partnership with UMass Memorial Health Care, that takes a practical, hands-on
approach to put his idea into action. The book, which is being distributed
through the Massachusetts Hospital Association, called "Hunger in the
Community: Ways Hospitals Can Help," provides hospital workers with all the
information they need to get a program started. It includes a list of the
kinds of food programs that exist within the state, suggests a wide variety of
ways a hospital can help, and provides a collection of real stories, taken
from hospitals across Massachusetts, that demonstrate what is already being
done by hospitals to solve hunger.

"By collaborating with hospitals across the Commonwealth, we can create a
strong statewide network of support for those struggling to put food on the
table," said Governor Deval Patrick. "I commend Congressman McGovern for his
tireless and effective work to end hunger. With this initiative, we can and we
will connect more people with the resources they need to stay healthy."

Each year, Massachusetts hospitals help thousands of patients apply for Mass
Health, the Health Safety Net, and other public insurance programs through the
state's Virtual Gateway, the state's one-stop Internet portal access that
offers a common online application for nutrition benefits programs.

Said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray, "By answering a few additional
questions, hospital staff can use the same intake form to help patients apply
for SNAP benefits [formerly known as food stamps] as well as begin the process
of applying for other federal nutrition programs that support individuals and
families in need across our Commonwealth. We thank Congressman McGovern for
his continued leadership in antihunger programs and his dedication to develop
a more efficient and effective delivery of services to those in need."

"Health care workers are on the front lines for identifying a variety of
health care issues affecting patients," said John G. O'Brien, President and
CEO of UMass Memorial Health Care. "Food insecurity is a medical issue, and
this book provides the resources to help hospitals build programs appropriate
to their communities' needs. At UMass Memorial, we have incorporated screening
for food insecurity into our health insurance assistance program. As a result,
we've helped over 1,500 families apply for the SNAP program this year."

This book came out of a concept, shared by Congressmen McGovern and Project
Bread, that hunger is a public health issue.

"Today's launch," said Ellen Parker "is an alignment of stars, demonstrating
we have the political will to make a difference in the lives of those
struggling for the most basic necessity -- food. Hospitals bring a new
vitality and force to our work to end hunger."

The book is also available online through www.projectbread.org/hospitals and
through the Massachusetts Hospital Association at http://www.mhalink.org.

About Project Bread
As the state's leading antihunger organization, Project Bread is dedicated to
alleviating, preventing, and ultimately ending hunger in Massachusetts.
Through The Walk for Hunger, the oldest continual pledge walk in the country,
Project Bread provides millions of dollars each year in privately donated
funds to over 400 emergency food programs in 135 communities statewide.
Project Bread also advocates systemic solutions that prevent hunger in
children and that provide food to families in natural, everyday settings. The
organization has invested millions in grants to community organizations that
feed children where they live, learn, and play. For more information on how
hospitals can help, visit www.projectbread.org/hospitals.

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click
appropriate link.
Ellen Parker
http://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=56173

SOURCE Project Bread - The Walk for Hunger

Massachusetts General Hospital, Donita Boddie, Director of Public Affairs,
+1-617-726-2206, pa@partners.org, or Boston Medical Center, Ellen Berlin,
Director of Corporate Communications, Ellen.Berlin@bmc.org , or UMass Memorial
Health Care, Rob Brogna, +1-508-793-5394, or Baystate Health, Jane Albert,
Director of Public Affairs and Community Relations, +1-413-794-7750, or North
Adams Regional Hospital, Paul Hopkins, Director of Community Relations,
+1-413-664-5000, phopkins@nbhealth.org