By Claire White, MS, CHES, Health Promotion Coordinator – Healthcare Partnerships
Unsurprisingly, an individual’s access to food and nutritious food can have long-term, direct impacts on their overall health. In fact, the Health and Hunger Task Force developed out of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida’s growing understanding of this overwhelming correlation. As the prevalence grew that diet-related chronic illnesses and food insecurity played hand in hand with one another, we knew steps had to be taken to comprehend and combat these connections.
Due to this nationwide, centuries-long problem, other organizations have worked within their communities to improve health by reducing food insecurity. One of the most well-known is the Food Is Medicine Coalition (FIMC), a coalition comprised of organizations nationwide, including Second Harvest Food Bank. Over the past 40 years, this coalition has made strides toward advancing health equity under five pillars:
- Access and opportunity
- Quality services
- Clear communication and collaboration
- Community connections and resources
- A caring approach
FIMC agencies understand that an individual’s access to nutritious meals will help them “stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible.”
FIMC has similar goals as the task force – focusing on nutrition education and community support to reduce the impact of chronic health conditions on patients experiencing food insecurity. In addition to this, they are setting the standard for medically tailored meals (MTM). Across the US, organizations affiliated with FIMC must meet accreditation criteria to ensure that regardless of “location, size, or number of clients and meal plans catered for,” the meal is guaranteed to meet the needs of patients with varying degrees of chronic health conditions. It was determined that if every patient eligible to receive MTMs had access to these regulated meals, the United States would save nearly $14 billion in healthcare spending and reduce hospital visits by 1.6 million, saving those patients an average of 8,750 dollars a year in hospital visits ($14,000,000,000 divided by 1,600,000 visits).
This mission and impact cannot be achieved by one single institution or individual. It’s through collaboration among organizations that believe in the power of food as a form of medicine that we can make a difference. FIMC continuously works with organizations nationwide to expand its research as it tests MTM interventions. Your potential partnership is crucial in this journey. This emerging research includes a focus on integrating food and medicine programs for individuals with diabetes, HIV, lung cancer, and obesity. Ongoing research and partnerships allow FIMC to meet its goals as it pushes for equity of access.
To learn more about these interventions, I encourage you to explore the emerging research section of the FIMC website. Your involvement could lead to significant benefits for the community. After reviewing their website, consider completing this interest form if your organization is interested in partnering with FIMC to explore research opportunities about MTM or medically tailored groceries (MTG).
