Elevance Health Foundation’s Grant to Feeding America Shows Promising Results

Elevance Health Foundation’s $14.1 million grant to Feeding America’s Food as Medicine program helps address a key social driver of health: food insecurity. Results of the program show that access to nutritious food goes beyond just satisfying hunger to providing a foundation for good health.

Components of the Food as Medicine Program

Feeding America’s Food as Medicine program increases access to nutritious foods by helping people across the country access public food programs.

Nutritious foods are an important part of bolstering the whole health of a community. Food insecurity, which affects more than 33 million people in the United States, increases the risk for diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

Through the program, people diagnosed with a diet-related disease can leave a medical appointment knowing how to incorporate nutritious foods into their diet. They will also receive referrals to community-based food pantries and meal services to access these nutritious foods.

In addition to food distribution, the Food as Medicine program also screens people for public food programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and helps them enroll if they qualify.

Initial Results are Promising

In 2023*, the 21 Feeding America food banks participating in the program:

• Screened nearly 288,000 people for food insecurity
• Determined more than 94,000 people were experiencing food insecurity
• Referred over 45,000 to a Food as Medicine Program, with just under 41,000 receiving food from the program
• Referred more than 8,100 to apply for SNAP benefits, with 2,100 applications started and 1,500 completed

“This program is transforming the charitable food experience for neighbors and the health care system, while promoting the well-being of people facing hunger,” said Mark Stephens, executive vice president of innovation at Feeding America. “This initiative enables people with chronic diseases to have access to nutritious food that facilitates better health.”