Ag-Mart Produce
NEWS
For Immediate Release:
May 11, 2010
Contact: Noah Lichtman
(973) 799-0200
nlichtman@winningstrat.com
Ag-Mart Produce Partners with Collier Health Services
to Facilitate Employees’ Access to Medical Care
Immokalee, Fla. – Ag-Mart Produce, a national tomato grower and shipper, is partnering with Collier Health Services (CHS), a community-based health care provider with 12 facilities in Collier County, to increase Ag-Mart employees’ accessibility to medical and preventative care and to educate workers and their families about healthy lifestyles. The partnership includes four annual visits by CHS’s Ronald McDonald Care Mobile ® to Ag-Mart’s Immokalee farm to provide health screening for employees and their families.
The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile ® is a state-of-the-art pediatric medical and dental facility which operates year-round throughout Collier County. The unit, which is provided through a partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities®, is fully equipped with two patient exam rooms, a laboratory, pharmacy, waiting area and medical records area. The Care Mobile offers screenings for dental, growth and development, hearing, and vision, as well as nutritional and dental education. The program also provides new student school physicals, eye exams and glasses, and dental treatment for children who would otherwise be unable to afford these services.
During the Care Mobile’s first visit on April 24, CHS served more than 120 Ag-Mart employees and their children, providing screening for diabetes testing, blood pressure and vision. Twenty percent of the people screened were referred for follow up care for high blood sugar, another ten percent for high blood pressure, and two needed urgent care.
“Our partnership with Collier Health Services opens access to preventative care for our employees and their families who otherwise would not have the logistical means of accessing this care,” said Kevin Delaney, director of sustainability & productivity at Ag-Mart. “CHS helps raise awareness and encourages our employees to be proactive about their health. We received great feedback from our employees after the mobile unit’s initial visit and look forward to expanding this partnership with CHS.”
Dr. Bill Kuzbyt, Director of Professional Services at CHS stated that “screenings are an excellent way to increase access to health information and hopefully lead to appropriate medical follow-up. The results of the first screening clearly demonstrate its value as we were able to identify a couple of people who truly needed immediate medical attention and a significant number who need to be seen by a medical provider for follow-up. We hope this new partnership will help these workers by making access to healthcare easier.”
The collaboration with CHS continues Ag-Mart’s ongoing social responsibility program that consists of initiatives that expand employees’ access to education and healthcare and improve the environment. Ag-Mart has partnered with several non-profit organizations including Community Health Care, Inc. and the Gloucester County (NJ) Special Services School District, which respectively provide health services and English classes to Ag-Mart’s employees in New Jersey. Ag-Mart has also created an internal sustainability team to share best practices and create a culture of continuous improvement toward the environment, and has joined the Greater Philadelphia Green Business Program through which the company is committed to reducing its overall carbon footprint.
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Ag-Mart Produce (www.agmartproduce.com), based in Plant City, Fla., is a grower and shipper of both organic and conventional tomatoes, specializing mainly in the grape and heirloom varieties. It operates in multiple growing regions, including three in Florida, one in North Carolina and one in New Jersey, in order to maintain year-round availability for its customers. Ag-Mart operates with a focus on food safety and a commitment to continually develop better sustainable growing practices.