Rockbridge CAN: Combating Social Isolation Through Food and Support
Building a thriving community by expanding access to support services, eliminating food insecurity, and fostering meaningful social connections.
In a triennial report published by Carilion Rockbridge Community Hospital, they identified Access to Services and Food Insecurity as the top two needs by community members in rural and disadvantaged areas across the Rockbridge region. The Rockbridge Area Relief Association added Social Isolation/Loneliness as the third need.
Rockbridge County is 600 square miles in the rural western Shenandoah Valley along the Blue Ridge Mountains, with 22,358 residents, and encompasses the City of Lexington (7,538) and the City of Buena Vista (6,566). Poverty impacts more than 15% of Lexington residents, 22% of Buena Vista residents, and almost 18% of county residents. Transportation services are limited to personal vehicles, a fixed bus route that drives four miles in each direction of downtown Lexington, and a specialized transportation provider for senior citizens and individuals with disabilities, Uber and Lyft, nor taxis, operate in Rockbridge County, so access to medical appointments, schools, places of employment, and even the grocery store and pharmacy are drastically limited.
For community members in rural areas there often aren’t grocery stores, restaurants or even gas stations within at least 5-10 miles from their homes. Therefore, it’s easier to go to bed hungry than to find a way to get to a store or restaurant to be able to eat a nutritious meal. In addition to developing food insecurity, community members become socially isolated which has a significant adverse effect on mental health and well-being. COVID demonstrated the detrimental consequences of loneliness which is all the more reason to re-engage these community members.
Therefore, in 2022 the model for Rockbridge Connect & Nourish (CAN) was designed, and in 2023 Rockbridge CAN began serving catered meals to community members in designated rural communities in Rockbridge County. The model is quite basic: county residents can receive rides and to and from sit down 3-course meals served in community center locations in 6 different rural locations across the county. Of course, anyone from the community is welcome to participate without needing transportation assistance, and everyone is welcome. The meals are served the first three Wednesday evenings of each month and on a rotational schedule.
What makes the program unique and different from others is the one-stop-shop model at the meals. As a key component in the design of CAN, a coalition of 14 community organizations formed to provide real-time support and services at the meals served in the rural locations. Employees and Board members of these organizations, as well as students and community members volunteer at the meals. Community program and resource materials representing more than 50 different services available to residents are available for anyone at the meals, and healthcare service providers are often at the meals to answer questions and provide assistance when possible.
In an area where 35% of the dinners live by themselves, bringing community members together, connecting them with fellow diners, improving their access to community resources while nourishing their bodies and their minds, is critical for quality of life. The value of supporting disadvantaged communities and cultivating lasting relationships is deeply rewarding and has lasting benefits for the community as a whole.
And, much to the surprise of CAN, the Chamber of Commerce serving Lexington, Buena Vista and Rockbridge County awarded Rockbridge CAN as 2024 Citizen of the Year. Bringing communities and resources together is key to successful outcomes for community members and organizations, and why Rockbridge CAN is able to continue this service for years to come.