March 2023 Connections

OVER

the next few issues, Connections will be spotlighting the organization's new wellness program, Everhealthy Evergreen. This month's wellness feature is on Ashley Kuss and the role that good nutrition plays in good health.

What is your role at Evergreen? My official title is Lead Community Nutrition Educator in the Nutrition Health Education Program, funded by a Ryan White grant from the AIDS Institute. On any given day, you can find me meeting with patients individually to conduct nutrition education sessions, creating a healthy grocery list and coordinating meal delivery for eligible patients, and collaborating with other departments (as well as my awesome co-workers!) at Evergreen to make sure our patients' needs are being met. Other day-to-day duties include data reporting, program planning, linking patients with additional food and nutrition resources, and helping to address other barriers our patients may experience in regards to accessing nutritious foods. You can also find me with a cup of coffee in hand!

What exactly is nutrition? Why is it important to know about it? Nutrition is the study of food, how our body processes nutrients, and its effects on human health. Nutrition is so important because it can be a powerful tool to help prevent or manage chronic disease, as well as improve our sleep, energy, and mood.

Nutrition is important because it can be a powerful tool to help prevent or manage chronic disease, as well as improve our sleep, energy, and mood

The most challenging thing may be debunking misinformation that is readily available online

What are the rewarding parts of your job? What are the challenges?

The most rewarding part of my job is helping patients achieve goals they set forth for themselves, or when a patient tells me they have a better understanding of a certain topic after meeting with me. The most challenging thing may be “debunking” nutrition misinformation that is readily available online.

What got you into nutrition education? I was always passionate about nutrition and general wellness from early on, and I truly enjoy teaching others how to live their best lives through making healthy food choices.

How could employees incorporate nutrition into their everyday life? Start with something small, whether it’s adding a piece of fruit or vegetable to your meal, trying a new healthy recipe, or even cooking your favorite meal in a different way to enhance the nutritional value.

Anything else you’d like to put out there? Balanced eating not only provides an opportunity to meet our nutritional needs, it is also a way to connect with others, honor cultural heritages, and provides both physical and emotional nourishment!

Thank you Ashley! Watch for more wellness topics in future issues.

Dr. Gale Burstein connecting before the February 16 screening of "Love in the Time of Fentanyl". Thank you to Emma Fabian forsharing the photo!

Kimberly Brown, Ivette Chavez Gonzalez, and Erie County Health Commissioner

Learning Objectives

Better identify the unique health needs of patients who are sex workers and / or who engage in survival sex | Effectively ask questions and collect health information from these patients in ways that dignify the patient and are without judgement | Identify the occupational hazards that exist in the sex trades including but not limited to physical and mental health, safety and resource areas.

Erin Baker is Evergreen's Food Pantry Coordinator and the EIS (Early Intervention Services) Program Assistant. This month Erin told us about her day-to-day work, explained why having access to good nutrition is important to health and wellness, and confirmed that Libras have great taste in accessories.

Hi Erin! Can you tell us your job title and how long you’ve been at Evergreen? Hi I’m Erin Baker, and I’m the Pantry Coordinator/EIS (Early Intervention Services) Program Assistant at Evergreen. I have been a part of Evergreen since September of 2021, following my graduation from Buffalo State that May.

What does a typical day at work look like for you? Every day for me starts with a cup (or three) of coffee. I check in with emails and missed calls, re-organize the pantry, and check the schedule before 9 a.m. The calls typically start right at 9 a.m., and go until we close at 1 p.m. I take calls from patients, discuss their dietary needs and preferences, and prepare their orders. I meet up with them in the lobby to deliver their groceries. I’ve put a lot of mileage on our pantry cart! My afternoons are for data entry, special projects, food orders, and of course helping with the EIS program as well. I couldn’t do it without help from Matt, James, and the rest of the THRIVE team.

Who does the food pantry serve, and how do people start using food pantry services? Our food pantry serves anyone in need in the Western New York area. Most of our pantry patients are patients of Evergreen as well, but some are just community members. Staff members can submit a referral on Medent if they have a patient in need of food assistance, or patients can call on their own behalf. We complete a short intake, and can usually honor a same day appointment.

How many people do you serve each week? We serve around 800 community members a month in 250 or so households, so with some quick math: about 200 people a week.

How do you work with other departments to serve the whole patient? I receive referrals and

questions from all over the organization. I work with the Care Coordination team often to secure food for their patients. I regularly refer patients to other departments as their first contact with Evergreen. Patients mention an unmet need of theirs, whether it be medical, housing, mental health, etc., and I am able to help them bridge that need. It feels great being able to meet so many amazing people who work here.

Why is having access to good nutrition important to health and wellness outcomes? Everything starts with nutrition! Good nutrition is fuel for the bodies we call home. Maintaining a healthy diet can help to prevent diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. A healthy diet can positively influence mental wellness as well.

What is your favorite part of your job? My favorite part of this work is getting to talk with people: patients and staff alike! I love having my regular patients I see every month. It’s so rewarding building relationships with my regulars. All the staff I’ve met and worked with have been so wonderful. Any day I get to laugh is a good day in my book.

Can you tell us a bit about your life outside of work? After work, you can find me browsing the horror movies on HBO, reading up on astrology (I’m a Libra!), or walking around Delaware park. I have a great collection of funky earrings I’ve accumulated over the years. I also collect vinyl records, from the 1940s to present day. I like having a wide taste in music, keeping an open mind. I’m an auntie to a wonderful 7-year-old named Elliott. I’m hoping to get back into my fine arts practice in the new year, as well as learning to be a better cook. If you see me out and about, please say hello!

Thanks for talking with us Erin! We’re so grateful for the work you do to provide unconditional care to our patients at Evergreen and throughout our Western New York community.

(this profile by Jean Conway also appears on the agency blog)

MOCHA's new AdveRTising CAmpAIgN!

MOCHA and the Marketing and Communications team have been collaborating on an awareness campaign. The finished product is up on bus shelters, subway trains and other locations throughout the city, as well as online on social media. Here are some examples of pieces from the campaign, with copy by Jean Conway and design by Jabob Marsh.

Mark your calendar! The submission deadline for the April 2023 issue of Connections is March 15. Be sure to get your content in before the deadline to guarantee placement.

Kids, pets, vacations, recipes -we want to share it all with Team Evergreen! Email EvergreenConnections via Outlook.

The Wellness Your Way Program is your opportunity to be rewarded for your dedication to good health and wellness! Enrollees in our medical insurance through Univera are eligible to receive $150 if you have Single or Single + Child(ren) coverage, and $300 if you are enrolled in Single + Spouse, or Single + Spouse and Child(ren) coverage. BUT, there is a caveat – you must register to receive the funds! If this is your first time receiving the wellness card funds, your first step is to have an online Univera account. If you do not have a Univera account online, you may create your account by following these steps:

a. Go to https://www.univerahealthcare.com/wps/portal/uv/member-login/

b. Click on Register & Create Account

c. Enter required information from your ID Card, click continue

d. Create a username, enter your personal email address, create a password, and create answers to security questions

e. Click the box if you would like paperless statements. If the box is not checked you will receive paper statements, click continue

f. Review your information and click submit

g. An email will be sent to the address provided. Please follow the instructions in the email to complete account registration to verify your email. You will be redirected to the website.

Once you have your univerahealthcare.com login, you must register for the Univera Wellness Your Way Program by following these steps:

a. Log into your univerahealthcare.com account

b. Click on Health and Wellness, Univera Wellness Your Way – Get Started

c. Confirm the address you would like the card to be sent to, check the attestation box, and click submit.

d. You will receive a notice stating submission accepted, and the amount that will be on your card ($150 Employee, Employee + Child(ren), $300 Employee + Spouse, Employee + Spouse + Child(ren). New card(s) will be sent to the address provided within 10-15 business days. If you have received the wellness funds in previous years, the funds will be reloaded to your same card. And, remember, DO NOT THROW YOUR CARD AWAY at the end of the year. Funds will be reloaded again next year when you register.

You can alert your fellow employees of an on-campus emergency by dialing x2222 on your desktop phone. This paging system should only be used in true emergencies such as code blue (overdose response), medical emergencies for patients or staff, fire alarms, active attackers or any other true emergency. Dial x2222 from your desktop phone at Evergreen, the Pride Center or Community Access Services. The phone line will be silent; you won't hear a dial tone. Don’t worry, the phone is recording!

Say your message loudly and clearly into the phone receiver. Make sure to include the location of the incident. Repeat your message one more time, then hang up the phone. Your recorded message will be heard over the intercom system for all buildings. Your message will not play until after you hang up the phone.

If you have any questions regarding this system or any other safety protocol, please reach out to Robert Moore. You can also check out the Safety & Security section of the Hub on Blink. Stay safe, Evergreen!

Publisher/Layout

John Carocci

Copy Editors

Jean Conway

Kristy Mangel

Contributors

Jean Conway

Megan Fagyas

Marcia Derby

Eric Poniatowski

Amanda Honan

Emma Fabian

Connections is the official monthly newsletter for employees and board members of Evergreen Health and its affilliates, the Pride Center of Western New York and Community Access Services. You can submit photos, comments or a "hello" via Outlook at Evergreen Connections.

Team Evergreen was well-represented at the Buffalo Business First IDEA Awards ceremony. Evergreen's Alicia Kohlhagen and board member Karen Brim were both honorees. Thank you to Amanda Honan for the photos, and congratulations Alicia and Karen!

Melinda Kingsbury

Richard Ridenour

Jacquelyn Dixon

Dominique Jones ..................................

Nakeie Carpenter

Harold Colburn

Marta Moore

Britney Jones .........................................

Veronica Velazquez

Theresa Shankland

Erin Drag

Mimi Dennard

Heather Munro.......................................

Jasmine Padilla

Latina Abram.

Nichole Frank

Rowan Hart ............................................

Susan Vanderwerf

Joseph Ryan

Elizabeth Pijanowski

Mindi Levine

Jessica Ziemba Malave........................

Brandon Battaglia

Melissa Rothenbueger

Kaitlyn Gately

Akilah Broadwater .................................

Vanessa Santos

Kate Gallivan

Leslie Fineberg

Tiffani Williams

Elizabeth Gattman ................................

Melissa Tice

Johanna Aponte

Byron McKinney

Brittany Price .........................................

Joshua McClain

Cameron Burgos

Kimberly Brown

JaQuoria Oliver

Tiffany Collins ........................................

March 6

March 6

March 6

March 6

March 10

March 10

March 10

March 11

March 11

March 12

March 13

March 13

March 14

March 15

March 15

March 15

March 16

March 17

March 17

March 17

March 18

March 18

March 19

March 20

March 20

March 21

March 22

March 22

March 22

March 22

March 23

March 23

March 26

March 26

March 26

March 27

March 27

March 31

March 31

March 31

Health Equity Index Trainings

For the past few years, Evergreen has received the designation as Health Equality Leader for our work providing LGBT culturally competent healthcare in the areas of medical, supportive and behavioral services.

In order to continue to receive this designation, we are required to meet training requirements. That's where we need your help! We are required to complete 25 hours of training as an organization. If you have time over the next few weeks, please complete one of the training webinars.

To get started follow these steps:

1. Click HERE

2. Create an account if you do not already have one. Use the following information when creating your profile:

Facility ID: 65002

Security Code: HRC

Please contact the Training and Development Team with any questions.