FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 15, 2025
Southcoast Health Teams Up with the Marion Institute to Launch Pilot “Cooks for Community” Program
WAREHAM, Mass. – Southcoast Health has partnered with the Marion Institute, Frogfoot Farm and local chef Danny Minkle to launch Cooks for Community, a pilot program that delivers fresh, locally sourced meals to residents who are unhoused or unable to prepare their own meals.
The program began on September 5 and will continue through the end of the year, thanks to funding provided by Southcoast Health. Each week, Chef Danny creates 50 nutritious meals that are distributed by the Southcoast Health Community Health and Wellness team, with a total of 1,000 meals expected to be delivered by year’s end.
“Cooks for Community is such a beautiful example of what happens when local farmers, chefs and healthcare partners come together for a common purpose,” said Liz Wiley, Executive Director of the Marion Institute. “By transforming fresh produce from Frogfoot Farm and locally sourced ingredients into nourishing meals, we’re not just feeding people – we’re strengthening the health and resilience of our community.”
This initiative advances Southcoast Health’s mission to improve the health and wellbeing of the communities it serves.
“Southcoast Health is proud to support innovative programs that increase food security and health promotion,” said Alison LeBert, Southcoast Health Community Health and Wellness Manager. “By funding this pilot, we are investing in a healthier future for our region and showing what can be accomplished when healthcare and local partners work together.”
About the Marion Institute
The Marion Institute’s mission is to advance a culture of health. We exist to engage individuals and communities in systems level solutions at the intersect of food, wellness, and the environment. We seek an equitable, informed society where people work in community to heal themselves and the planet. To learn more, visit: marioninstitute.org.
About Southcoast Health
Founded in 1996, Southcoast Health serves communities across southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island as the largest provider of primary and specialty care in the region. The not-for-profit, charitable system includes three acute care hospitals – Charlton Memorial in Fall River, St. Luke’s in New Bedford (a Level II Trauma Center), and Tobey in Wareham, Massachusetts with a physician network of more than 850 providers.
The system has established more than 55 service locations across the South Coast of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, including six urgent care locations, Southcoast Health at Home, two cancer care locations, the region’s only Level II Adult Trauma Center and numerous ancillary facilities.
Southcoast Health has been recognized consecutively for seven years in a row as a Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospital from 2019-2025 and was named a Maternity Care Access Hospital from 2024-2025 by U.S. News & World Report. The organization was additionally recognized as a best place to work for the eighth consecutive year by SouthCoast Media Group’s Community’s Choice awards.
With nearly 8,600 employees, Southcoast Health is the largest employer in southeastern Massachusetts, and one of the largest employers in the Commonwealth, according to the Boston Business Journal. More information is available online at www.southcoast.org.
Media Contacts:
Tom Rovine
Manager of Corporate Communications
rovinet@southcoast.org
Liz Wiley
Executive Director, Marion Institute
marketing@marioninstitute.org
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