PEABODY — Salem Hospital held a golf tournament at the Salem Country Club in Peabody on Monday to raise money for its new pilot program — a community farm in Lynn to combat food insecurity.
“One in five residents in Lynn is food insecure,” said Kate Bailey, development officer at Salem Hospital, who planned the event.
That is why Salem Hospital decided to launch a community farm project together with its colleagues at North Shore Physicians Group, which operates the new Mass General Brigham health-care center on Lynnfield Street in Lynn.
“COVID really brought to light the inequities in our communities and the stark differences that we find with food insecurities in the communities we serve,” Bailey said. “We want to make sure that, as a partner in these communities, Salem Hospital can take care of our constituents and we are hoping that this is just one of the many things we will be able to do to combat food insecurity.”
The pilot program will identify individuals and families through primary and emergency care at the health center who might have no access to healthy and nutritious foods and are food insecure. Bailey said they want to actively assist such patients.
With the help of the Food Project and Lynn Grows, Salem Hospital will start a vegetable garden near the health center. They will construct the first 15 beds and irrigation on site and decide which crops to grow in October of this year, Bailey said.
The garden will be planted next April. Next summer will be the first summer of harvesting produce. Eventually, the pilot site will be moved to the bigger site next door at the old Union Hospital location, behind the new senior housing that David Solomine Jr. is developing.
Salem Hospital is hoping to have enough produce for its patients and some pop-up shops and Mass General community care vans, which are now used to vaccinate people.
“We think it is a great synergy between David and us to do something about food insecurity in the city of Lynn,” said Dr. David J. Roberts, Salem Hospital president and the Salem Hospital’s 2021 Golf Classic event co-chair.
Roberts has participated in the hospital’s golf tournament for 30 years. A lot of the doctors, nurses, and staff usually participate in it along with donors and business associates, he said.
The tournament usually supports a different cause every year.
“I look forward to it every year because it is really team building and fun to hang out with people you work with outside of work. It carries over into work when you spend a day outdoors,” said Roberts.
A shotgun-style tournament started at 18 holes simultaneously and attracted 108 golfers of all ability levels this year.
The tournament included a “hit the green” contest, which was a 50/50 raffle for $20. Golfers also tried to hit a hole in one for a chance to win a new Toyota Acura, provided by Acura Peabody. Daniela Mammola, who is on the Development Committee for Salem Hospital and owns the Pellana Steakhouse, has donated a dinner with wine for eight people for another $20 raffle.
An outdoor reception followed in the clubhouse to celebrate winners and remind participants about the importance of working to combat food insecurity in the community.
Salem Hospital was hoping to raise $100,000 for its new pilot farm program. Bailey said that they have exceeded their goal.
