January News from AccessHealth Spartanburg

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Dear Spartanburg Community,

Welcome to the year 2016!

We hope that you had a wonderful holiday season surrounded by family and friends. We are looking forward to the new year and all the positive changes that are on the way.

Thank you for being a part of our journey as we grow and try new things. We would not be where we are today without your support.

If you have any feedback, comments, or suggestions, please send them to [email protected].

Letter from the Director

As we say hello to 2016, we would like to take a moment to thank you for all of your support in 2015. We have made great strides in our work to improve health in the our community- and we simply could not have done it without you.

Here are a few highlights from 2015:

Our fantastic and dedicated team has grown in size! We added 3 fulltime positions to the AccessHealth team- a Data Coordinator, a Case Management Extender and a Community Case Worker. They have contributed a wealth of experience to our team and we are so excited to have them join us.

Spartanburg was named a "Culture of Health" prize winner by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The prize "honors communities that are creating powerful partnerships and deep commitments to drive local change, ensuring all residents have an opportunity to make healthy changes in their schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods."

AccessHealth and VCOM have made much progress on Spartanburg's Way to Wellville. Together, we chair the Access to Care for the Uninsured Committee and we have begun piloting technology designed to improve health outcomes.

Our Healthy Outcomes Program has grown in size and is responsible for connecting over 900 high medical risk community members with healthcare and social resources since its inception.

We have benefitted from numerous community partnerships. One of these partnerships was with the Hub City Farmer's Market who provided us with a community garden that allowed our clients to access healthy foods and gave us an opportunity to promote their Double SNAP Program.

We are ready to jump into 2016 with new ideas, new partnerships and revitalized purpose.

And we would like to hear from YOU. Please let us know if you have suggestions or would like to join our efforts.

Have a happy and healthy New Year!

To your health!

Carey J. Rothschild

Director

Client Quotes

"Everyone I met with has been so helpful and nice. This is a wonderful program and much needed in this area." - G.A.

"You helped me with my meds and helped give me hope. You helped me in trying to find a job as well." - R.C.

"So far what I have learned about the program it is a wonderful thing! I really thought I couldn't get any help." - L.S.

The Benefits of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)

At AccessHealth Spartanburg we screen our clients for SNAP benefits and assist them in filling out the application as part of our enrollment process.

A recent report from the White House shows that "SNAP benefits lifted at least 4.7 million people out of poverty in 2014- including 2.1 million children. SNAP also lifted 1.3 million children out of deep poverty, or about half of the poverty line."

Additionally, "among adults who grew up in disadvanged households, access to food stamps (now called SNAP) in utero and early childhood resulted in": a reduced likelihood in becoming obese as an adult and an increased likelihood in completing high school.

However, even with the positive results, "food insecurity remains a serious problem for millions of American households- including nearly one in five households with children. In fact, a growing body of evidence suggests that benefits are, if anything, too low to allow a family to purchase an adequate, healthy diet." Families often run out of SNAP benefits before the end of the month.

For more information on SNAP benefits, visit the following link:

White House Report on SNAP

January Health Facts

January is National Blood Donor Month. Blood donation is crucial for saving lives in the medical field. This month we take time to honor all those who donate their blood to help others. If you are interested in becoming a blood donor, check our the following blood donation centers and events:

The Blood Connection

270 North Grove Medical Park Drive

Daily hours for blood donation.

See The Blood Connection for more information!

The American Red Cross Donation Drives

January 19th at Wofford College- 11:30 am until 4:30 pm

January 23rd at Spartanburg Public Library- 10:30 am until 3:00 pm

See The American Red Cross for more information!

January is also National Soup Month. Check out the following soup recipes for a healthy lunch or dinner option:

Black Bean Soup- Recipe Here

Mexican Tortilla Soup- Recipe Here

Golden Potato-Cauliflower Soup- Recipe Here

January is also National Hot Tea Month. According to Time Health, some of the benefits of drinking tea are as follows:

1. Tea can boost exercise endurance.

2. Drinking tea could help reduce the risk of a heart attack.

3. Drinking tea is hydrating to the body (despite the caffeine).

4. Drinking tea is linked with a lower risk of Parkinson's Disease.

5. Green tea has been found to improve bone mineral density and strength.

Remember to let tea cool for several minutes before drinking! For more information on the benefits of tea drinking, visit Time Health.

Donations

Did you know that AccessHealth Spartanburg accepts donations of plastic bags?

Please consider collecting plastic bags from grocery stores and shopping centers to donate to our office. We use the bags to distribute toiletries and paper products to our clients!

AccessHealth Spartanburg is also accepting the following items for our clients:

Toothpaste

Deodorant (Men's and Women's)

Razors (Men's and Women's)

Shaving Cream (Men's and Women's)

Soap

Shampoo

Please note that all toiletry items must be unopened and unused in order to be accepted as donations. If you have any questions regarding donations, please contact [email protected].

Community Shout Outs

A big thank you to everyone who has donated books for our library and lobby. A very special shout out to one donor who dropped off 209 books this week! Our clients love having books to read and take home to share with their families. If you have not donated books and still want to, please email [email protected].

January 12th is a Holsten Creek Park guided hike organized by the Spartanburg Parks Department. The topic of the hike is animal tracks and the cost is $7.00. Participants are meeting at Va-Du-Mar McMilan Park at 9:15am. For more information, visit: Spartanburg Guided Hikes.

January 16th is the MVCA Revolutionary Run 5K in Cowpens. It is sponsored by the Mustang Club of Mountain View Christian Academy. The race is a fundraiser for the school and its student organizations. For more information or to register, visit: MVCA Revolutionary Run 2016.

Please "like" AccessHealth Spartanburg on Facebook to stay updated on our work in the community. Like Our Page Here!

If you have any community shout outs that you would like us to share in our February newsletter, please email [email protected].

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In Good Health,

AccessHealth Spartanburg

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