Dignity Health Northridge Hospital gives 200 turkeys to families for Thanksgiving

Dignity Health Northridge Hospital Medical Center staff and volunteers gave away 200 turkeys during their monthly fresh produce drive-through distribution on Tuesday, Nov. 21, part of their commitment to help families and others who don’t have enough money to buy nutritious produce and other healthy food.

Volunteers like Jackson Zicklin, 16, handed out turkeys to families and others who lined up in their cars for the hospital’s monthly drive-through while Stephanie Espinoza, a community patient navigator, stood near a vast sea of bagged produce, helping to get it ready for those in need.

Dignity Health partners with the American Heart Association (AHA) to help underserved families and others improve their access to healthy, but often costly, food.

Trinidad Duran, Wellness and Activities Committee chairman at Dignity Health Northridge, says that the hospital, in partnership with the AHA, has “been working together to bring fresh produce to our community; our goal is to bring healthy options to our community’s table. Every month, we feed over 450 families.”

Duran added, “We understand that many of our community members may be having challenges providing nourishment to their families, therefore we take the opportunity to give back a little.”

The distribution program, focused on fresh produce but including other free food, was launched two years ago with the goal of feeding 150 families in the San Fernando Valley. Today, “we are pleased to be serving over 450 families monthly,” Duran said.

Since July of 2021, the program has distributed 288,601 pounds of free and healthy produce to those in need.