St. Louis-based Ascension became one of 141 participants in the White House Challenge to End Hunger and Build Healthy Communities, an initiative aiming to eradicate hunger, enhance nutrition and boost physical activity levels by 2030.
The commitments from stakeholders will add over $1 billion toward the challenge goal, according to a Feb. 27 news release from the system. Ascension CEO Joseph Impicciche celebrated the challenge's commencement at the White House alongside other health and technology stakeholders.
Ascension has long worked to address hunger and similar social determinants of health, running food pantries and other social services in underserved parts of Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri and Texas, the release said. The system provides more than 200,000 meals at Kansas City, Mo.-based Seton Center each year, gives free groceries to 700 families per month via New Orleans drive-thru pantries, donates child care necessities in San Antonio, and partners with rural foodbanks.