Every Wednesday, the folks at the HIV/HCV Resource Center (H2RC) looks forward to seeing one special visitor.
“Everyone loves Tim,” said Case Manager Angel Hudson. When Willing Hands’ Fleet and Operations Coordinator, Tim Sevigny, pulls up with fresh produce and staples, staff know they’re about to receive an essential resource that helps H2RC fulfill its mission every day.
Located alongside the Rivermill Complex in Lebanon, New Hampshire, H2RC has been serving people affected by HIV, Hepatitis C, and substance use since 1991. Today, H2RC serves five counties across New Hampshire and Vermont. They provide case management, transportation to medical appointments, emergency assistance, HIV and Hepatitis C testing, harm reduction services, prevention education, and connections to the resources people need to live healthier lives.
“Access to food and housing is crucial for clients to obtain and take their medications,” Angel says. For many of the people H2RC serves, healthy, available food can make the difference between staying on track with treatment and going without it. When money is tight, people often sacrifice food. The fresh fruits and vegetables that Willing Hands delivers each week help ease that burden. By making healthy food a reliable part of clients’ routines instead of a constant worry, people can focus on their treatment and their health, instead of having to choose.
H2RC’s Lebanon office has refrigerators, freezers, and pantry shelves where clients can pick up food during and after business hours. Through an online ordering system, clients can request the food they need, and H2RC case managers like Angel are able to load up their cars before traveling throughout the region to meet clients where they are. A single delivery from Willing Hands might ultimately reach someone in Coös County, New Hampshire, or across the river in rural Vermont. The need is substantial. With ever-rising grocery costs, H2RC can distribute up to 1,000 pounds of food per week.
It’s remarkable to think about the journey of a bunch of carrots or a pint of blueberries. Harvested by local farmers, packed by Willing Hands’ volunteers, delivered by Tim to H2RC in Lebanon, and finally shared with someone hundreds of miles away who may be facing significant health challenges—each delivery is a reminder that healthy food has the power to connect communities and support healing.
For H2RC and the clients it serves, Willing Hands’ weekly deliveries ensure people have what they need to care for themselves.