NursingWise

At A Glance

Location: 

New Gloucester, Maine

Primary Issue Area:

  • Food

Active since:

2019

Core volunteers:

6

Our Purpose

Our purpose is to...increase nursing presence/wisdom within our community to assist vulnerable populations. Our covid-19 response is to assist with food insecurity and safety during the pandemic and beyond. 105 tenants in a low income apartment building, over age 62 with disabilities and limited income, should not be shopping at grocery stores or visiting food pantries.  NursingWise volunteers are making laundry detergent, masks and hope to start deliverying food twice monthly in partnership with the New Gloucester Food Pantry and Hannaford grocery store.  I am also a part time nursing instructor with the University of Southern designing a "practicum" for nursing students with Lewiston Housing which oversees this apartment building.  The goal will be to have students at the building one day per week to provide education on the importance of nutrition on chronic disease, teach healthy cooking on a budget and in partnership with Hannaford teach how to shop for healthy foods on a limited income.  We will also assess the property for possible container gardens. Students and faculty will take heights, weights, b/p, blood glucose, health status and grocery shopping habits at the beginning of the course and at the end of the 14 weeks to see if nursing presence and education improved health status and habits.Nurses are a valuable creative resource to our communities we hope to increase our presence/impact