Touch- Together Our Unity Can Heal

Get Fresh and Food Recovery Programs In 2010, TOUCH led the Get Fresh initiative to recover and distribute food from the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York (RFBNNY). Since the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated food insecurity in March 2020, TOUCH has taken the lead in significantly increasing the amount of food distributed through Get Fresh.This program emphasizes distributing fresh produce to help support the nutritional needs of our chronic illness members as well as others facing food insecurity. TOUCH is the founding member and lead agency for the, Rockland Community Against Hunger (RCAH). The RCAH community collaborative has established linkages with over forty other food pantries and feeding programs in Rockland County that can now provide more fresh food to their clients. The Get Fresh Program provides a large amount of food to other pantries. A notable outcome has been that other pantries have started to provide healthier food items in general to their clients as a greater understanding of nutrition and health outcomes develops in our community.In 2018, we expanded Get Fresh to include a Food Recovery Program whereby we recover food from additional sources such as supermarkets, bakeries, farms and farmers markets. During the year ended February 28, 2021, TOUCH responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by more than doubling the annual amount of food recovered and distributed by Get Fresh and the Food Recovery Program to a combined total of 1,014,039 pounds of food. RFBNNY values this food at $1.42 per pound. Therefore, the total value of in-kind Food for the year ended February 28, 2021, was $1,439,935. For the year ended February 28, 2021, of the 1,014,039 pounds of food received, TOUCH distributed 822,755 pounds to local food pantries and feeding programs and kept 191,284 pounds to distribute from our in-house pantry.

Nutrition Program ServicesThe food and Nutrition Program comprehensively addresses the unique needs of people living with chronic health conditions. The program adheres to Food as Medicine principals and follows the Medical Nutrition Therapy model. The program includes a Registered Dietitian who understands chronic health conditions and the causes and effects of medical intervention with regards to nutritional needs to improve health outcomes. TOUCHs Nutrition Program provides nutritional counseling, linkage to primary care, weekly food provided either through our client choice food pantry, or via home delivered pantry packages of perishable (fresh and frozen) and non-perishable grocery items. In addition, a monthly grocery store voucher is provided following guidelines from the Registered Dietitian.

Pharmacy 340B ProgramThe 340B Drug Discount Program was established in 1992 under the Federal Public Health Services Act. The Act requires drug manufacturers to provide outpatient drugs to eligible health care organizations and covered entities at significantly reduced prices. The program passes along savings from reduced drug prices to covered entities to allow them to stretch scarce federal resources as far as possible, reaching more eligible patients and providing additional needed services. TOUCH has been registered as a covered entity with HRSA since 2018. In this capacity, eligible TOUCH clients may enroll in this program at a participating pharmacy that has an agreement with TOUCH. Designated prescriptions are filled by registered pharmacies on behalf of TOUCH clients. The Pharmacy then sends detailed reconciliation information about each clients prescriptions to TOUCH on a monthly basis along with the associated revenue to cover these drugs. In turn, TOUCH, verifies the information, pays the associated drug company(ies), monitors adherence to the prescribed medications and provides additional services to people living with HIV.