Holy Cross Health continues tradition by awarding food insecurity grant

Continuing its tradition of helping innovative programs, Holy Cross Health recently awarded the Broward College Foundation with its $10,000 John Johnson Food Security Grant.

Intended to provide healthy food through a mobile food distribution program, students during fall, spring and summer of the 2020-2021 school year can visit the Seahawk Marketplace at the Davie central campus.

For the seventh consecutive year, Holy Cross Health presented the annual grant in honor of John C. Johnson, who was president emeritus and former chief executive officer of the nonprofit hospital.

“In what has been an unprecedented year, Broward College Foundation has created a program to ensure students have access to sufficient, healthy food,” said Sister Rita Levasseur, Holy Cross Health’s vice president of mission integration. “We look forward to seeing how they expand the program.”

With the pandemic proceeding to impact communities, 72% of Broward College students surveyed highlighted that they are experiencing some level of food and housing insecurities.

Centered on reducing hunger and helping students in need, the Seahawk Marketplace will offer access to food and personal hygiene care items.

Associate Vice President of Student Success at Broward College Esmeralda Sweeney emphasized how the grant came at a crucial time.

“This grant came at the right time and when our students needed it most,” Sweeney said in a statement. “This grant is also a demonstration of the great partnership the college has with Holy Cross, an organization that has been instrumental on the gains the college is making in addressing food insecurities among our students.”

The project is currently in the first of two phases, providing immediate assistance to students experiencing food insecurities through weekly drive-thru distributions. Made possible through its partnership with LifeNet4Families, distribution alternates between the Davie, Coconut Creek and Pembroke Pines campuses.

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Holy Cross Health awarded a $10,000 food security grant to the Broward College Foundation. Pictured is Broward College’s weekly drive-thru food distribution.