Flint River Fresh pitches in; Phoebe numbers below 20

ALBANY — Flint River Fresh, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is working to increase the availability of fresh produce and instill healthy eating habits through community farm sites and youth engagement.

“Community health underlies the entire mission of Flint River Fresh,” organization Chairman Marty McLendon said. “When the COVID-19 pandemic devastated Albany and southwest Georgia, we recognized the importance of addressing community needs during the pandemic as key to a holistic approach to community health.”

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, community-oriented work was heavily impacted while Flint River Fresh implemented CDC protocol limiting youth engagement and volunteer activities.

When Albany became a national hot spot for the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, Flint River Fresh pivoted programs to serve the local community through a produce box and hot meal program. For 15 weeks, the agency served nearly 1,000 first responders, furloughed workers, and vulnerable individuals with locally sourced fresh produce and hot meals purchased from locally-owned restaurants. Through support from its board and sponsors, Flint River Fresh spent more than $15,000 with locally-owned restaurants and farms during this time.

Even as agencies like Flint River Fresh work to provide healthy foods to the community during the pandemic, officials at Phoebe Putney Health System released some of the best news seen in the community in quite some time. Health system officials said Monday that the latest numbers at its facilities have dropped to 19 patients, 18 at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital North and Phoebe’s main campus in Albany and one patient at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus.

Phoebe officials noted that Monday’s numbers mark the first time the hospital’s COVID count has been below 20 since March of last year.

As vaccinations become more widely available, the Flint River Fresh team is optimistic about what this means for continuing key programs.

This is why Flint River Fresh leadership joins community members in receiving the COVID-19 vaccination.

In Dougherty County, vaccines are available at Phoebe, the Dougherty County Health Department and Albany Area Primary Health Care.

Visit the Georgia Department of Public Health website for more information.

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