Supporting Rural Veterans: Food Security Initiatives in Waycross, GA

The NF/SG VHS Waycross VA CBOC Innovation Spark investee team consisting of Regina Osime, Deborah Maine and Traci Ellis came together to develop a process of helping rural Veterans with food insecurity by developing a “Courage Hub” process where employees could leave food donations, greatly impacting rural Veterans that were struggling with hunger.

“We noticed that Veterans were showing up to the clinic and couldn’t focus on their healthcare needs due to hunger, and this was something we needed to change,” said Osime.

While the process was slow at first, consisting only of Waycross CBOC employees donating their own lunches, their efforts ultimately resulted in expanded partnerships that included local American Veteran Organizations and the WayGreen Farm Co-op.

The Spark-Seed-Spread Innovation Investment & Accelerator Program serves as a mechanism to empower employees by providing an avenue to identify and accelerate employee-designed innovations that improve experiences for Veterans.

Initially, the team interviewed rural Veterans to get a better understanding of what they needed. They learned how others in the VA have been approaching the problem with programs like Fresh Connect, and that led Osime, Maine and Ellis to local AMVETS Organizations and to Connie Oliver, the founder of the WayGreen Farm Co-op, to discuss the food insecurity problem.

Oliver shared that she lives by the philosophy of, “Do what you do and help other people do what they do,” during a discussion about surplus farm food and possible drop-offs at the Waycross VA Clinic and AMVETS locations. With this newly established collaboration, WayGreen applied for and obtained a $2500 grant through the Southern Georgia Area Agency on Aging Commission in March of 2024 to aid with food insecure Veterans.

By the middle of May, the Waycross CBOC team had developed their pilot program, recruited 20 Veterans served by the clinic who needed the support, and began offering weekly pick-ups at the clinic or at a local AMVET location. One Veteran reported that it was, “like Christmas every Thursday!”

The collaboration continued through six weeks of the summer with the Waycross CBOC team stapling a list of produce, tips on preparing the items, and healthy recipes to encourage a healthy, balanced diet for our Veterans. The team enjoyed putting these together to help support the Veterans even more than just a simple bag of food, because like each and every Veteran, even the small details matter.

The Waycross CBOC team efforts resulted in a lasting, positive impact on Veterans in their area through the collaboration and support of external partners and a Veteran Service Organization. Their journey has helped them develop an extensive list of resources that they will share with Veterans struggling from food insecurity to ensure our Veterans never have to worry where their next meal will come from. The NF/SGVHS is proud to recognize the Waycross CBOC teams commitment and advocacy to provide excellence while serving our Veterans as well as they have served all of us.

For more information on the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System, please visit https://www.va.gov/north-florida-health-care/.