March 2026

The mission of SVHC is to cultivate local solutions and collaborative actions that advance the health and well-being of the Cortland community.

2026 Cortland Counts Community Forum

We are looking forward to the 2026 Cortland Counts Community Forum, which will be held this Friday, March 13 at the Cortland Repertory Theatre Downtown with over 150 attendees. The forum brings together stakeholders across sectors to discuss health and well-being in Cortland County. Registration for the forum is now closed.

We are excited to welcome Dr. James V. McDonald, M.D., M.P.H., New York State Commisioner of Health as our keynote speaker. The forum is structured around the 2025-2030 NYS Prevention Agenda, and Dr. McDonald's presentation will focus on the prevention agenda, framing the day's sessions and panels.

Community Forum Sponsors

Thank you to our two main event sponsors, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield and the Mental Health Association of Cortland County, whose sponsorship helps allow us to offer the forum at no cost for attendees. Thank you for your support for the health and well-being of Cortland County!

Homer Regional Farmers Market Vendor Applications Open

The Homer Regional Farmers Market is getting ready for a great 2026 season! Vendor applications are now live and will be accepted through March 18. Feel free to share this opportunity within your networks!

VENDOR APPLICATION

2026 Free Food Giveaways

We are gearing up for the first of our monthly free food distributions on Tuesday, March 24 from 12 - 6 pm at the food rescue hub, 174 Homer Ave, Cortland. Those attending should plan to park, bring bags, and come into the hub for a free-choice style giveaway.

Future dates will be posted on our Facebook and Instagram pages, added to the events page on the SVHC website, and added to the food pantry list on 211cortland.org.

Thanks to our generous community, we met our goal and raised $5,100 to address food insecurity and to support our food distribution work! Thanks to our 2026 Calf Kissing team!

Chief David Guerrera, City of Cortland Police Department
Ilya Shmulenson, SVHC Board of Directors member & Executive Director, Lime Hollow Nature Center
Mike Eves, General Manager/Co-Owner, Eves Broadcasting,
Christine Armstrong, 2025 Rural Health Champion & Owner, Heart Centered Yoga
Christiana Borst, Cortland County Dairy Ambassador

Special thanks to Julia Fouts and Fouts Farm for hosting the event and to Clementine, the 12-hour old calf.

Program Highlight:

Supporting Medicaid Members through the 1115 Waiver

While the program name may sound confusing, the "1115 (Eleven Fifteen) Waiver" refers to New York's application to bypass or "waive" certain federal Medicaid requirements to test innovative, budget-neutral services that advance health equity and focus on the delivery of health-related social need (HRSN) services.

SVHC staff have been busy engaging with members on Medicaid Managed Care (MMC) plans to determine their eligibility for support with food, transportation, and housing through the waiver. SVHC is coordinating the delivery of food boxes for 50 clients each week, and clients can receive the boxes for up to 6 months. Another 12 clients receive pre-made, medically-tailored meals, which are a great solution when people are unable to prepare meals for themselves.

Clients may also be eligible for transportation assistance in the form of bus passes or cab rides to access non-medical needs that support their health, like trips to the grocery store or to search for housing. SVHC has assisted over 100 clients with transportation.

Housing support can help prevent eviction, and while SVHC does not coordiate housing assistance, our staff assist clients in gathering the proper documentation and make referrals to housing agencies.

One client receiving food boxes shared, "Receiving the nutritional support and dietary feedback from SVHC has not only provided fresh, healthy food from NYS, but it has made healthy meals accessible for me and my kids. I can't begin to express my gratitude."

Our Social Care Navigators aim to connect with as many people currently enrolled in Medicaid as possible. Medicaid members can call SVHC at 607-756-4198 to connect with Catherine or Grace for an initial screening.

Connect with Us

Our mission is to cultivate local solutions and collaborative actions that advance the health and well-being of the Cortland community.

Seven Valleys Health Coalition
10 Kennedy Parkway
Cortland, NY 13045
Phone: (607) 756-4198
Fax: (607) 344-0048

SVHC Newsletter - March 2026