JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — In the spirit of American Heart Month, the Barnabas Center in partnership with the American Heart Association has received a significant boost in its efforts to promote heart-healthy living.

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Thanks to the support of this year’s Leaders of Impact nominees and a successful fundraising competition, nearly $100,000 was raised locally to address nutrition insecurity in the community.

As a tangible result of this collaboration, a commercial refrigeration unit has been installed at the Barnabas Center Callahan office. This addition is poised to make a meaningful impact by significantly expanding the community clinic’s capacity to provide healthy foods to patients, particularly those facing nutrition insecurity.

The arrival of the refrigeration unit is timely, especially considering Nassau County’s elevated rates of hospitalizations from coronary heart disease and deaths due to stroke and hypertension compared to the state of Florida.

With improved access to nutritious foods, the Barnabas Center aims to play a crucial role in addressing these health disparities and promoting better heart health outcomes in the community.

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