Priority Health Partners With Forgotten Harvest to Fight Hunger, Food Insecurity in Metro Detroit

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Priority Health, Michigan’s fastest growing health plan, announced its partnership with Forgotten Harvest to help remove the barriers that prevent access to fresh food and ensure community members have what they need to be and stay healthy. Priority Health is contributing $20,000 to support four of Forgotten Harvest’s mobile pantries in metro Detroit, making healthy foods more accessible to local families and senior citizens this holiday season.

“Food is medicine,” said Samia Brown, Director, Medicare Product Development, Marketing and Customer Service at Priority Health. “Eating fresh, nutrient-dense foods each day not only improves overall wellbeing, but can also boost immunity, lower risk of disease and prevent chronic conditions, especially in the senior population.”

Starting Monday, November 22, Priority Health is supporting the following mobile pantry locations:

• Monday, November 22 at Warren City Hall from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
• Tuesday, November 23 at Van Buren Charter Township from 2 – 4 p.m.
• Wednesday, November 24 at Oak Park Recreation Center from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
• Wednesday, November 24 at Mt. Vernon Missionary Baptist Church from 2:30 – 5:30 p.m.

Please see the Forgotten Harvest website for more details or to find a mobile pantry location near you.

Prior to COVID-19, the Detroit Food Policy council estimated that about 48 percent of Detroit households are food insecure. When the pandemic hit, supply chain disruptions and panic buying severely impacted access to healthy foods, specifically in low-income neighborhoods.

“These mobile distribution sites are critical to our organization, they give us an opportunity to distribute large amounts of food to a targeted area of the population that is suffering from food insecurity,” said Kirk Mayes, CEO of Forgotten Harvest. “Partnerships like this one with Priority Health are good for the community.”

“Every person deserves to have a full and healthy life, but some communities lack access to nutritious foods. We’re proud to partner with Forgotten Harvest and, together, work to eliminate food insecurity and increase equitable access to fresh, healthy options for metro Detroit families,” Brown said.

In addition to partnering with local organizations to increase access to healthy foods, Priority Health offers select Medicare plans with a quarterly allowance to purchase health and wellness products. Priority Health also offers a fresh produce allowance for eligible members. Through the PriorityMedicare Vital^SM (PPO) plan, members can save on groceries with a $10 per month fresh produce allowance to use at Walmart, Kroger and other participating stores.

The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) is open now until December 7. Priority Health coverage specialists are available to provide more information on enrollment options and help you choose your Medicare plan.

About Priority Health:

With over 30 years in business, Priority Health is the second largest health plan in Michigan, offering a broad portfolio of health benefits options for employer groups and individuals, including Medicare and Medicaid plans. Serving more than a million members each year and offering a broad network of primary care physicians in Michigan, Priority Health continues to be recognized as a leader for quality, customer service, transparency and product innovation. Learn more about affordable, quality health coverage options from Priority Health.