For Earth Day this year, Wellstar Health System is making a difference for our environment and supporting our neighbors facing food insecurity. The recently launched Organic Recycling Program at the Wellstar Corporate Office (WCO) in Marietta has already diverted almost one ton of food waste from landfills, preventing over 675 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions.
Article Category: Newsroom
Wellstar Celebrates Earth Day with Programs Addressing Food Waste
Published on April 21, 2023
Last updated 12:05 PM April 21, 2023
Wellstar launches organic recycling program
The WCO Bistro prepares food for all of Wellstar’s health parks, hospital bistros and the entire system’s catering.
This recycling program at the WCO is a partnership between Wellstar Community Health, the Wellstar Foundation, Catalyst by Wellstar, Wellstar Strategic Community Development and Goodr, a sustainable food waste management and hunger relief company.
Food scraps like onion and banana peels are recycled and composted at Gainesville Waste and Recycle. Special bins are used to collect the scraps. Food compost helps the soil retain moisture and nutrients, reduces the need for pesticides and fertilizers, and sequesters carbon dioxide (storing it in the soil away from the atmosphere), according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
The benefits to our environment don’t stop there. Every three pounds of waste diverted creates one pound of soil, which means we have created about 650 pounds of healthy soil in one month. In a year, it’s also calculated that the carbon sequestered would be the same as 4.4 acres of forest – the size of over three football fields.
Wellstar also has other programs that reduce our carbon footprint and give back to our communities on a systemwide level.
The surplus food recovery program with Goodr launched in September 2020 at Wellstar Cobb Medical Center. Leftover food is donated to food delivery resources for underserved communities. The program has expanded to Wellstar Windy Hill Hospital and Paulding Medical Center, helping serve over 14,000 meals and preventing over 17,000 pounds of waste and nine thousand pounds of carbon emissions. Another partnership with Second Helpings Atlanta to deliver food from the Wellstar Corporate Office has already served 3,304 meals, diverting nearly two tons of food from landfills. Second Helpings Atlanta is a nonprofit organization working to reduce hunger and food waste in metro Atlanta.
As a nonprofit organization, Wellstar is committed to the health and well-being of our communities, and that commitment extends beyond the walls of our hospitals and health parks. For more information on how the Wellstar Foundation makes these programs possible, visit wellstar.org/foundation.
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Newsroom
Wellstar Partners with March of Dimes & Center for Black Women’s Wellness on Mobile Markets
The Wellstar Goodr Mobile Market season has kicked off 2025 with a new site in South Fulton County. March of Dimes, in collaboration with the Center for Black Women’s Wellness (CBWW), was selected as a new partner and site for the markets brought to you by Goodr, Wellstar Community Health and the Wellstar Foundation.
CBWW serves women, men and children throughout metro Atlanta through a host of programs and services aimed at optimizing health, strengthening families and communities, and advancing health equity. Over the past 36 years, the center has created a legacy in Atlanta that ensures people will always have access to quality healthcare and wellness programming.
March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms and babies. They support research, education and advocacy, and the organization provides programs and services so that every family can get the best possible start. These mobile markets build on March of Dimes’ existing partnerships with CBWW.
Food insecurity can negatively affect someone’s pregnancy and health outcomes, according to March of Dimes Director, Maternal & Child Health Collective Impact Tamara Mason.
“Every mom should have the ability to have a healthy pregnancy and deliver a healthy baby full-term, regardless of a woman's race or where she lives,” Mason said.
The mobile markets are in their fourth year of operating drive-through food giveaways and health and wellness education distribution for pre-registered individuals.
“Our partnership with March of Dimes and the Center for Black Women's Wellness through the Wellstar Mobile Market is a pivotal initiative to ensure equitable access to food,” said Rae-Anne Pinckney, director of community health programs and partnerships for Wellstar. “By offering nutritious foods alongside vital health education, we empower communities to make informed choices, paving the way for a healthier and more vibrant future for all.”
For more information about mobile markets and other community health programs at Wellstar, visit wellstar.org/community. To register for food at any of the upcoming mobile markets, go to wellstarmobilemarket.com.
Highlights
What to Expect from Obesity Treatment
Dramatic weight loss stories from people taking new obesity and diabetes drugs have many patients asking their healthcare providers, “Could these be right for me?” Dr. Alicia Shelly, an internal and obesity medicine physician at Wellstar, joined host Bruce Feinberg, DO, on 95.5 WSB’s The Weekly Check-Up to talk about it all, including:
- What to expect from obesity treatment today
- Medication options and costs
- How lifestyle coaching fits into treatment
- When bariatric surgery may be appropriate
What to expect at your obesity appointment
Your first visit to Wellstar Center for Best Health will typically last 30 to 45 minutes, and you’ll be asked about your:- Medical history
- Past experiences trying to lose weight
- Lifestyle, including exercise, sleep and eating habits
- Stress and mental health
Obesity medications take center stage
If you’re like many who come to Wellstar, you’ve heard about injectable medications like Wegovy and others. Similar medicines that can be taken by mouth are in clinical trials. The drugs are called GLP-1s, which is short for glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists. They act like a natural hormone that regulates appetite, slows stomach emptying and decreases insulin levels. As a result, many patients feel full longer, eat less and have better blood sugar control. “The medications help turn off cravings and your appetite,” Dr. Shelly said. Patients also report less mental “noise” about food, such as musing after breakfast, “What am I going to eat for lunch?" Without insurance coverage, GLP-1s can cost around $1,000 a month. If you have insurance that covers some or all of the drugs’ costs, you may need your insurance plan’s approval in advance. Wellstar nurse navigators can help you with this process. If you can’t afford newer medications, there are additional options among older and less costly medications approved for weight loss. Dr. Shelly noted that if cost and insurance weren’t barriers, she’d probably recommend medication for 75% of her patients. “Many people have already done a lot of diets and exercises in the past to lose weight, but the weight keeps coming back. And that’s because obesity is a chronic disease.”Nutrition, exercise and behavioral healthcare are all part of obesity treatment
Healthy weight loss takes a combination of approaches, not just prescriptions, according to Dr. Shelly. If you are treated for obesity at Wellstar you’ll likely visit several clinicians, including:- A registered dietitian for personalized nutrition and meal planning
- An exercise physiologist who develops routines that meet your physical condition
- A psychologist who can help you with motivation, handling cravings and other behavioral factors in weight loss
Have weight loss drugs eclipsed bariatric surgery?
For years, bariatric surgery on the stomach or intestines has been used to induce weight loss. Bariatric surgery patients can lose an average of 30 to 35% of their body weight. This is higher than the average loss of patients taking the latest medications. Insurance plans often cover surgery because of the costly and serious medical complications of obesity. Dr. Shelly stressed that care teams work with you to create treatment plans that fit your conditions, medical histories and personal situations. Then, your care team sticks by you throughout treatment. She also encourages you to visit your doctors and learn more about new ways to treat obesity. “At Wellstar Centers of Best Health, we’re ready and able to help you,” she said. To hear more from Dr. Shelly, you can listen to her podcast, “Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight Loss.”
Newsroom
Wellstar Expanding Cancer Care in Spalding County
At
Wellstar Spalding Medical Center,
we are your dedicated healthcare partner—putting you at the center of your cancer care and helping you navigate with clarity, hope and compassion. That’s why we’re proud to expand our medical oncology and infusion services to better serve our community.
The state-of-the-art cancer care facility promises greater access to advanced cancer treatments and improved convenience for patients in the Spalding community and surrounding areas.
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