Nerve damage to Rasna Sahni’s neck and back makes trudging up and down the 17 stairs to the Erie woman’s second-floor apartment a painful and arduous task.
Driving is almost impossible and Sahni, 55, rarely gets behind the wheel except for medical appointments. She often has clothes, food and other necessities delivered.
“I really don’t leave my apartment very often,” said Sahni, who lives on a $1,600 monthly Social Security disability payment. “I don’t have family, and my friends help sometimes, but they aren’t always available.”
Once a month, however, an Uber arrives at Sahni’s apartment and takes her to AHN Saint Vincent’s Healthy Food Center, where she stocks up on fresh produce, eggs, lean meats and whole grains.
The trip and the food are free, covered by two separate programs. One is offered by AHN and the other by Traveler’s Aid of Pittsburgh.
“Many of our patients, I’d say 30% of them, who use the Healthy Food Center also get help with transportation,” said Domenica Babo, a Saint Vincent dietitian who runs the food pantry. “It goes hand in hand.”
AHN Saint Vincent dietitian Domenica Babo places two peppers into one of Rasna Sahni’s grocery bags during Sahni’s visit to the Saint Vincent Health Food Center on Sept. 21. Sahni, 55, of Erie, qualifies for monthly visits and free rides to the food center.
Sahni first learned about the Healthy Food Center during a visit to her Saint Vincent primary-care physician in 2025. Like all patients, Sahni was asked if she experienced food insecurity — did she lack adequate access to nutritious food.
When she replied that she did lack access to healthy food, Sahni’s physician referred her to the Healthy Food Center.
“Then I got a call from an AHN nurse, who referred me to Traveler’s Aid because transportation is an issue for me,” Sahni said.
Traveler’s Aid of Pittsburgh is a nonprofit organization that provides transit assistance to those who qualify. It recently has been offering services to people in Erie County through a partnership with AHN.
Domenica Babo, an AHN Saint Vincent dietitian, places a container of almond milk into one of Rasna Sahni’s grocery bags during Sahni’s visit to the Saint Vincent Health Food center on Sept. 21. Sahni qualifies for monthly visits to the food pantry after declaring her food instability during a doctor’s visit.
Sahni scheduled her monthly visit to the Healthy Food Center and Traveler’s Aid was also notified. On Sept. 21, the day of her visit, she received a call from Traveler’s Aid, saying her ride would soon arrive.
An Uber pulled up to her apartment and took Sahni to the food pantry.
“Only a few of our patients use Traveler’s Aid,” Babo said. “More of them receive rides funded through the Highmark (Health Social Determinants of Health) program. We have others who use public transportation or who walk.”
Food pantry selection limited by storm, nutritional requirements
Sahni arrived at the Healthy Food Center, which is located at 311 W. 24th St. in the basement of the Saint Vincent Professional Building. She was greeted with a hug by Babo.
The two women then went into one of the center’s rooms, where there was a limited selection of canned items, whole grains and other shelf-stable healthy foods.
“Our inventory is a little low right now, in part because the recent storm delayed shipments,” Babo said. “It’s also more difficult to get food because we are designated as a healthy food pantry. We can’t accept many less nutritious items.”
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Babo and Sahni then walked to the pantry’s coolers, where the dietitian filled Sahni’s bags with lean meats, eggs, fruits and vegetables.
Sahni has gastrointestinal issues and can only eat particular vegetables and grains.
“It’s a pretty limited diet,” Sahni said.
Sahni visits Saint Vincent pantry for food and hugs
The two bags of healthy groceries help stretch Sahni’s food budget and gives her more nutritious food in her diet. But she looks forward to the monthly visit for other reasons as well.
“I spend a lot of time alone and it’s good to see my friend Domenica,” Sahni said. “I can’t wait to get a hug from her.”
AHN Saint Vincent dietitian Domenica Babo places two bags of groceries into an Uber for Rasna Sahni, following Sahni’s visit to the Erie hospital’s Healthy Food Center on Sept. 21. Sahni, who is on Social Security disability, qualifies for monthly visits and free rides to the food pantry.
Babo carried Sahni’s bags out of the professional building to a waiting Uber that Sahni had called a few minutes earlier. The only difficult part was lugging the bags up the stairs to her apartment.
“I have to make two trips,” Sahni said with a smile. “It’s not a problem.”
Contact David Bruce at dbruce@gannett.com. Follow him on X @ETNBruce.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: How AHN and community partners help Erie patients access healthy food