Making a Difference in Local Communities

Interwell Health employees are working together to imagine a better, healthier future for our patients and our communities. To achieve this, we launched a volunteer time off (VTO) policy to recognize that we must carry on our core business into our communities. From apple picking to food preparation, Interwell team members have used this new policy to contribute to organizations and causes in remarkable ways.

Providing medically tailored meals

Jessica Prohn, a registered dietitian, gathered with three Interwell employees in the Boston area to volunteer at the Community Harvest Project – a volunteer farm that gives 100 percent of their crops to food pantries, feeding programs, and medically tailored meal programs.

Prohn and the other volunteers were able to connect with Interwell’s mission – and each other. They packed up 4,000 pounds of Honeycrisp apples, which provided 12,000 servings for those in need, and in that time, they bonded over the chance to help improve the lives of those in their communities. “Being able to have a day to serve is truly a gift,” Prohn said. “I’m so grateful that Interwell allows us the time off of work to give back to our communities.”

Diminishing hunger and malnutrition

New York-based team members used their VTO at God’s Love We Deliver to prepare, package, and deliver high quality meals to those unable to provide or prepare meals for themselves because of their illness. These medically tailored meals support their mission to improve the health and well-being of those living with serious illnesses by diminishing hunger and malnutrition. All services are free to clients regardless of income.

“Improved nutrition, increased participation in nutrition assistance programs, and reduction in food insecurity reduces the chance of hospital readmission,” emphasized Laura Ilowite, senior program manager.

Ilowite helped organize the event to encourage other team members to live our values, further impact our strategic goals, and help people with kidney disease live their best lives.

“My hope is that our small effort during our VTO day impacted our strategic goal of reducing readmission rates amongst our attributed patient population,” she shared.

Helping patients with chronic disease

Bay Area employees helped with Project Open Hand’s mission to deliver 2,500 meals a day. They prepared 800 meatballs, chopped 70 pounds of potatoes and parsnips, and labeled over 500 containers.

Project Open Hand is an organization whose mission is to improve health outcomes and quality of life by providing nutritious meals to those who battle serious illnesses, isolation or the health challenges of aging.  “Project Open Hand helps the elderly and people living with chronic disease, like our patients, so helping to create healthy meals for this population felt really aligned to everything we do at Interwell,” Ariana Chehrazi, Senior Vice President of Strategy at Interwell, shared.

“For many of us who sit at a computer for most the day, it was a reminder that it takes a village to help patients like ours and that we should probably work on our core strength. Standing and preparing food all day is tough,” Chehrazi said.