SVHC Newsletter - October 2026

OctoBER 2026

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

Upcoming Changes to Medicaid Coverage

Starting in January 2027, there will be significant changes coming to Medicaid coverage. Some Medicaid members (between ages 19 and 64) will need to show that they are working, going to school, helping out in the community, or participating in job training in order to keep their coverage.

SVHC wants you and your families to stay informed, and hopefully, stay covered. Here's a brief overview of how to stay eligible for Medicaid:

Earn income of at least $580 per month, OR
Complete at least 80 hours per month of any of the following activities, or a combination of them: Work in a job; go to school part time; join a job training or work program; volunteer in the community, OR
Earn some income and complete some hours of approved activities (from #2 above)

SVHC is collaborating with several community organizations to create a centralized website and a flyer that will connect Cortland residents to additional help. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, more information can be found on the New York State Department of Health website.

Learn More about Medicaid Changes

Hunger Action Month

SVHC spent the last few weeks lifting up Feeding America's Hunger Action Month (for the month of September) on our social media. We shared a unique hunger fact each week, as well as a link to different ways of "taking action" against hunger.

Donating is just one way to support those who are struggling with hunger. We also encouraged folks to volunteer at local food pantries, and/or to simply get started by getting informed on the food insecurity in their community!

Did you know? An estimated 12.5% of Cortland County residents experience food insecurity, compared to 9.6% statewide—which means that our community is facing a higher average of food insecurity than the rest of the state. The good news is, you can be part of the solution in any or all of the ways previously mentioned by visiting the links below!

Donate to SVHC

Volunteer with SVHC

Local Food Pantries

Cortland County Data on Food Insecurity

Food Waste Prevention Week

SVHC also just recognized Food Waste Prevention Week, which spanned from September 28 to October 4. We shared a "food waste tip" every day of the week to help folks brainstorm how to minimize food waste in their day-to-day lives. In case you missed it, here's what we suggested:

Leftovers night: Set aside one night each week to enjoy leftovers from previous meals.
Meal plan: Planning your meals before you shop can help you buy only what you need and avoid food going unused.
Make compost: Composting is an easy way to keep food scraps out of the trash. Anyone can do it—start a pile right in your backyard!
Take advantage of your freezer: Freezing food is an easy way to make it last longer, and then you can come back to it when you're ready!
Cook with scraps, peels, and ugly produce: Many parts of the food that we end up throwing away can still be used! Try adding veggie scraps to soups or stocks, or cooking with produce that doesn't look perfect.

Speaking of food waste prevention, Seven Valleys Food Rescue has rescued a whopping 159,998 lbs of food and 133,331 meals from going into landfills since 2019! In 2026 alone, 20,436 lbs have been recovered (so far). You can make a difference of your own, too, by following the tips outlined above. Every pound matters—don't waste it.

Taking Steps toward a more walkable community: Creating Healthy Schools and Communities Convening

SVHC recently participated in a “Walking 2Connect and Walk/Roll Audit” training offered by the New York State Department of Health.

A valuable lesson from the training was the importance of experiencing a community at the pace of its residents. A Walk/Roll Audit brings residents and community partners together to travel a route and observe conditions such as sidewalks, street crossings, curb ramps, traffic, transit stops, and access to important destinations.

This work aligns directly with SVHC's new Creating Healthy Schools and Communities (CHSC) initiative. Through CHSC, SVHC will work with community partners to identify opportunities to make walking, rolling, bicycling, and other forms of physical activity safer and more accessible. Rather than starting with a predetermined project, the goal is to listen to residents, assess existing conditions, and work collaboratively to identify strategies that can make a meaningful and lasting difference.

In the months ahead, SVHC looks forward to working with municipalities, schools, community organizations, and, most importantly, residents, to better understand how people move through our communities and to identify opportunities to make the healthy choice the easier choice.

Help Shape a Safer Route 13!

How walkable and bikeable is our community? Consider the trips you regularly make to schools, parks, stores, workplaces, and other destinations. What makes those trips easy or difficult? What could make them safer and more accessible?

You can make your voice heard right away! A Route 13 Community Engagement Meeting will be held on October 13 at the Cortlandville Fire Station, 999 NY 13, with sessions at 2:30pm and 6:00pm. No registration is required.

Anyone who lives, works, walks, bikes, drives, or travels along Route 13 is encouraged to attend and share their ideas for improving pedestrian, bicycle, and traffic safety along the corridor.

NEW SVHC Staff Member: Nick Kline

SVHC welcomes Nick Kline to our team as Project Lead for the Creating Health Schools and Communities grant!

Nick has championed physical activity throughout his career, from teaching and coaching to developing programs and working with schools and communities. Joining SVHC felt like a natural next step, allowing him to continue supporting physical activity right in the community that he has called home for most of his life.

At two years old, Nick broke his arm, and doctors discovered a bone cyst that affected his growth plate. He had five surgeries before third grade and a final one during his junior year of high school to lengthen his arm. It was a big part of Nick's childhood and, in an unexpected way, helped shape his physical activity journey.

Because the bone in Nick's arm was prone to breaking, football wasn't a great option for him growing up. He played soccer instead. Soccer became a lifelong passion, and today one of Nick's favorite things to do is coach his son's team. Nick loves sharing the sport with him and helping the next generation of players develop the same love for the game.

Welcome Nick!

Vegetable harvesting at matthew 25 Farms

Seven Valleys Food Rescue (SVFR) had the pleasure of harvesting vegetables at Matthew 25 Farm last month, with the help of our wonderful volunteers! A grand total of 1,132 lbs of squash, potatoes, cabbage, and tomatoes were harvested and sent out to SVFR's food pantry partners later that same week.

Thanks again to Matthew 25 Farm for this partnership and for generously donating this fresh and healthy food. It was a beautiful day to be out at the farm and we appreciate the hard work that goes into growing such nutritious food that feeds our community!

Place your order for October Food $en$e

Want to know what you can get in a Food Sense package this month for just $20.50? Check out October's menu! Family-sized specials can also be ordered individually.

Cash and check payments are due next Thursday, October 15.

Online payments are due the following Monday, October 19.

Once you have placed and paid for your October order, Pick-Up Day will take place Thursday, October 29 from 1:30 to 3:30pm at 174 Homer Ave in Cortland, NY.

Call our office at 607-756-4198 or visit foodsense.foodbankcny.org to place an order now!

October Food Sense Menu

This Month In Pictures

Summer may be over, but the SVHC team is staying plenty busy going into fall. We got to table at Senator Webb's Health Resource Fair; put up a brand new 8' by 12' banner at the Food Rescue Hub; chalked-the-walk for National Suicide Prevention Month (in support of SPEAK UP Cortland); we were joined by Cortland County legislators Cathy Bischoff and Reed Cleland at our September Free Food Giveaway; hosted our second Food Sense pick-up; and had an amazing Staff Retreat at the Lime Hollow Visitor Center. What a month!