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February15,2017 FORIMMEDIATERELEASEMediaContacts:LisaSchwenk,AugustaHealthPublicRelationsandCommunityOutreach540.245.7329,lschwenk@augustahealth.comJuliaChurch,AlleghenyMountainInstituteDevelopmentandCommunicationsCoordinator540.886.0160,Julia@alleghenymountainschool.orgAlleghenyMountainInstitute,AugustaHealthCollaboratetoAddressCommunityHealthNeedsNewonsitefarmprojecttoprovidenutritionprogrammingandimprovefoodaccessFishersville,VA–TheAugustaHealthcampussitsonsomeofAugustaCounty’smostfertilesoil.Now,thankstoanewpartnershipwithAlleghenyMountainInstitute(AMI),whatwashistoricallyfarmlandwillbecultivatedonceagaintoprovidefoodforthehospitalandforthecommunity.TheAMIFarmatAugustaHealthisajointventureofAMIandAugustaHealthtoraiseawarenessabouttheimportanceofhealthyeatingandsustainablegrowingpractices.AMIandAugustaHealthsharethevisionthataccesstoexcellenthealthcareincludesaccesstohealthyfood.Scheduledforgroundbreakingthismonth,theprojectisrootedinthemissionsofbothorganizationstopromotehealthandwellbeinginthecommunity.ThisinnovativefarmprojectaddressesAugustaHealth’srecentCommunityHealthNeedsAssessmentpriorities:Nutrition,PhysicalActivity,andWeight.Asitconsideredvariousprojectstoaddressthesepriorities,theCommunityPartnershipCommitteeoftheAu-gustaHealthBoarddeterminedthatapartnershipwithAMIcouldhelprealizethegoalofimprovingthewellbeingofthecommunitythroughincreasededucationandaccesstohealthyfoods.Keyfeaturesoftheprojectincludeaproductionfarmanddemonstrationgarden,aswellasacommunityvenuefornutritioneducation.Communitymemberswillhavetheopportunitytolearnmoreaboutsustainableagriculturethroughhands-onexperiencesandworkshopsaboutorganic,regenerative,four-seasongrowingpractices.Additionalclassofferingswillincludewhole-foodsnutritionandfoodpreparation,aswellasinteractivetoursforthecom-munity.“Thisisacommunitycollaborationandpartnership,”saysDanO’Connor,VicePresidentofHumanRe-sourcesandClinicalIntegrationatAugustaHealth,andtheexecutivesponsorofAugustaHealth’snutrition,physicalactivityandweightinitiative.“Weareuniquelysituatedwithlandonourhospitalcampusthatcanbeusedforthispurpose,ateamofphysiciansandotherclinicianswhosupporttheinitiative,andapartnerwithAMI’sexpertisethatcanbringthisideatolife.”Anotherprojecthighlightisa“FoodFarmacy”program.Thisuniqueprescriptionproduceprogramwillpro-videat-riskchronicdiseasepatientswith“prescriptions”forfreenutritioneducation,cookingdemonstra-tions,andfreshproducetosupporthealthandwellness.TheFoodFarmacywillservetobuildawarenessofwellnesspracticesandthelinkbetweeneatingnutrientdense,freshlocalfoodsandoptimumhealth.

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SueErhardt,AMI’sExecutiveDirectorisexcitedaboutthepositiveimpactthispartnershipwillhaveinthecommunity:“Weenvisionthisfarmtobeanupbeatandpositiveplaceforpeopletogatherandlearnskillstogrowfood,gainasenseofempowermentthroughknowledge,andbeencouragedtomakehealthierlife-stylechoices.”TheformerYoderFarmontheAugustaHealthcampus,locatedbehindtheAugustaCommunityCareBuild-ingoffMuleAcademyRoad,willbethesiteoftheproductionfarm.TheproductionfarmwillsupplyAugus-taHealth’sfoodsystemwithfreshproduceforitscafeteriaandcateringmenuandfoodsthatwillbeinte-gratedintopatientandvisitormealoptions.AlleghenyMountainInstitutewillgrowmorethan40varietiesofproduceon1.25acres,andexpectstoharvest8,000poundsoffoodin2018.Nutrientdensecropsthatwillbeharvestedthroughouttheyearincludekale,tomatoes,beans,broccoli,carrots,spinach,peas,mel-ons,andculinaryherbs.Beyondgrowinghealthyfood,theAMIFarmatAugustaHealthwillcultivatenewlevelsofwellnessinthecommunitythroughpartnershipandeducation,andofferavarietyofopportunitiesforthepublictopartic-ipateinworkshops,events,volunteerdays,andanOpenHousescheduledforJune23,2018.AugustaHealthisanindependent,communityowned,notforprofithospital,whosemissionistopromotethehealthandwellbeingofitscommunitythroughaccesstoexcellentcare.Namedoneofthe100TopHospitalsinAmericabyThomsonReuters/Truvenin2011and2012,AugustaHealthhasalsobeennational-lyrecognizedbyHealthGradesasoneofAmerica’s50BestHospitalsforclinicalexcellenceandpatientsafe-tyforthreeconsecutiveyears.FormoreinformationaboutAugustaHealth,itsprogramsandservices,pleasevisitwww.augustahealth.com.AlleghenyMountainInstitute(AMI)isa501(c)3educationalnonprofitorganization,withthemissiontocultivatehealthycommunitiesthroughfoodandeducation.AMIenvisionsathrivingnetworkofcollabora-tive,vibrant,communitiesthatvaluetheconnectionbetweenfoodandhealth,andworkstosupportourregionindevelopingamoresecureandhealthyfoodsystem.AMI’sFellowshipprogramprovidesamodelforhands-onagriculturaltrainingthatcultivatesleadersandeducatorsinsustainableandregenerativepractices,andpreparesindividualstobecometeachersandambassadorsforaviableandaccessiblelocalfoodsystem.FormoreinformationaboutAMIanditsprograms,pleasevisitww.alleghenymountaininsitute.org.

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