LAKEPORT, Calif. – In an effort to make it easier for staff to purchase healthy food, Sutter Lakeside Hospital Food and Nutrition Services General Manager Maritess Canlas, RD, worked with Lake Co-op, Lake County’s online organic food ordering and distribution cooperative, to enable co-op products delivered to the hospital for staff.

Staff may now order Lake Co-op’s full line of products during the co-op’s order cycle window from Sundays at 12:01 a.m. through Tuesdays at 12:30 p.m. and pick it up at the hospital on Thursday afternoons.

“This is one way of creating a partnership with our local farmers and at the same time encouraging convenient and healthy eating options. What an awesome way to promote healthy community,” said Canlas.

The products available feature local organic produce, local organic baked goods, local organic eggs and regional organic artisan cheeses, local organic mushrooms, local flour, regional grains, and local organic olive oil.

These items and more can be purchased through the co-op’s online ordering system at www.lake.coop .

Sutter Lakeside celebrated National Nutrition Week in March and kicked off the drop point with a give away that included produce provided through Lake Co-op.

Organic farmer Jim Leonardis of Leonardis Organics and Lake Co-op’s Operations Managing Consultant JoAnn Saccato attended the kick off and helped employees fill out a nutrition education worksheet, which was their entry to the giveaway.
 
Products included fresh organic chard, kale and collards from Leonardis Organics, an Organic Fruit N’ Veggie box from the Co-op and Villa Barone’s organic olive oil and olive oil soaps.
 
“So far I have received very good feedback from employees who are enjoying the convenient abundance of produce – including myself,” said Tricia Concha, RD.

For more information on ordering through the co-op, visit www.lake.coop or call 707-513-5226.