Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center – Joan C. Dauber Food Bank

Hartford, CT
December 7, 2017

Overview
The Joan C Dauber Food Bank originated in 1976 as an effort to help meet the food needs and alleviate poverty in the Hartford community. The Food Bank was the first hospital-based food bank in the nation. Joan C Dauber is a visionary who observed the needs of the community and worked tirelessly to address it. She started this initiative to help patients without access to food, but the program has grown over the past 41 years and now also provides diapers, coats, toys and household items. Joan is a licensed nutritionist; she provides instructions on healthy recipes and how to prepare certain fresh vegetables that are in season. In addition to contributions from hospital employees and food donations collected by the Hartford Public Schools and Walk Against Hunger, the Food Bank also purchases bulk food at low cost through Foodshare, a regional food bank. This ministry is now part of the Curtis D. Robinson Center for Health Equity, serving the greater health equity strategy at Saint Francis.

Impact
The Food Bank serves more than 1,200 families each month; distributes nearly 140 tons of food, clothing, toys and household items annually; and serves more than 1,600 families at Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas.

Lessons Learned
When the Food Bank was first started, it provided sustenance to patients leaving the hospital who required special diets but did not have the means or access to acquire healthy foods. As the program grew, additional needs were identified, including clothing and diapers. The diaper drive and provisions provided to the community allowed children to go to daycare so their parents could work. If children did not have diapers and were not potty-trained, it forced one parent to stay at home full-time until the child reached this milestone. Providing diapers to families gives parents the opportunity to go back to work.

Future Goals
Future goals include expansion of the program to other communities and more people. Hunger is a widespread issue in our community; being able to provide basic nourishment and necessities to people in our community – especially as they recover from illness – is a paramount goal. Being able to grow our financial resources to facilitate our operations is a future goal, as well as expanding our services geographically to meet the needs of our newly formed region.

Contact: Rev. Dr. Marcus McKinney
Vice President/Chief Health Equity Officer
Telephone: 860-714-4183
Email: mmckinne@stfranciscare.org