Covenant Children’s & South Plains Food Bank Partnership

The South Plains Food Bank is blessing Covenant Children’s by ensuring long-term patient families continually have access to nutritious food.

The SPFB Nourishment Room is designed exclusively for the families of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). It will provide families with 24-hour access to healthy and nutritious food options during their stay, which can be critical for the recovery and development of NICU patients. The room will be stocked with fresh produce, whole grains, lean protein, and other nutrient-rich food items, as well as snacks and beverages to help families stay energized and healthy.

The room will include:

• Large table for families to come together and share a meal
• Ready to eat meals, fresh and frozen provided daily from the SPFB Kitchen of Hope
• Support from SPFB to restock family’s home kitchen once baby is ready to be discharged

The Covenant Children’s NICU is a Level IV NICU, serving close to 500 patients each year across West Texas and eastern New Mexico. NICU patients typically stay an average of 30 days.

“A NICU admission can be a traumatic experience for families,” said Dr. Emilia Garcia, NICU project manager. “The family nourishment room at Covenant Children’s Hospital will provide all our NICU families access to healthy food, in an area that is close by, so they can spend more time with their babies. It will also minimize financial stress and support healthy nutrition for families and mothers who are breastfeeding.”

The room itself, will serve as a relaxing space for families to come together and share a meal,” Integrative Care Manager Dr. Christine Neugebauer said. “They can use this space to take respite, and participate in NICU family activities.”

The South Plains Food Bank has been a leader in the fight against hunger in West Texas for over 35 years, providing food assistance to individuals and families in need across 20 counties. The Food as Medicine program is part of its ongoing commitment to improving the health of the community by addressing the root causes of food insecurity.

“Our Food as Medicine program aims to provide families with the necessary tools and resources to improve their health and well-being,” said Dina Jeffries, Chief Executive Officer of the South Plains Food Bank. “With the addition of this new nourishment room, we’re making it easier for families to access nutritious food options while they’re supporting their loved ones in the NICU.”

To start the Nourishment Room will support NICU families with the hope to expand to other patient families across the entire hospital.