FRIDLEY, Minn – (Jan. 15, 2015) – Bridgeview Community Support Program serves Anoka County adults who live with serious and persistent mental illness. With a move from Spring Lake Park to their Fridley location just over a year ago, Bridgeview gained nearly double the space. The only downside was the loss of full kitchen facilities.
Working closely with the Health Department, and long time Bridgeview supporter County Attorney Tony Palumbo it was determined that the easiest and most cost effective way to serve lunch in the new location was to find a community partner to deliver meals each day right before they are served.
The new “Meals for Members” program was launched at the start of 2015 with Bob’s Produce Ranch in Fridley being the key food supplier. The Lee Carlson Center, which runs Bridgeview, needs to raise $150,000 to support the meal program for three years. To date about $40,000 has been raised.
For Palumbo creating a healthy eating environment at Bridgeview is very important. “I feel that it is extremely important for the Bridgeview clientele to get healthy meals and learn how to cook healthy meals. It is important for all of us but especially for people that have some mental health issues, you can get rid of the physical health issues by healthier cooking you eliminate some of the obstacles that they face everyday” said Palumbo.
Palumbo has been connected to Bridgeview for several years mostly though his love of cooking. He came to the old Bridgeview location several times to prepare a full meal – including having Bridgeview members actively involved in the preparations. “I became hooked on wanting to work with Bridgeview because I saw what it did for the people that were there that day and how it brought them together” said Palumbo.
Now Palumbo is focused on recruiting community partners to help fully fund the program. “We are looking to anyone we can, who feels that they have an inclination to help create this program” explained Palumbo.
One partner has already jumped on board. Allina Health through its charitable foundation has made a financial contribution to the program and they will be providing some educational opportunities for the Bridgeview members. Craig Malm, director of community engagement for Allina in the northwest metro shared, “we actually have one of our lifestyle coaches coming in next month, to talk about healthy nutrition, healthy eating, importance of portion control. What the type of food you eat can to for you both physically and emotionally.”
For all of us eating healthy can have an impact on our well being – but for adults living with serious and persistent mental illness the impact can be life changing. “Nutrition is extremely important not both for physical but also for emotional and mental health support” said Malm.
Those living with serious and persistent mental illness tend to isolate themselves at home. Lunch at Bridgeview is an important social activity for members and is a key driver for daily attendance. On any given day, between 50 and 60 members eat lunch at Bridgeview. “Studies will tell you, families that eat together as a community tend to be a lot more healthier and tend to communicate a lot better. If you come together in this community, sharing a meal it is a time to connect with others and that of course is a basic human need and something that people that come to Bridgeview need even more than the average person” said Palumbo.
Without the new “Meals for Members” program, many mentally ill individuals would not eat a healthy meal for lunch or in some cases they would eat nothing at all.
For more information about becoming a partner with the Meals for Members program contact Patty Halvorson at 763-230-7836 or phalvorson@leecarlsoncenter.org.
Related Links:
Bridgeview
Lee Carlson Center
Lee Carlson Center on Facebook
