When neighbors have consistent access to nutritious food, it can make a meaningful difference in their health.
That is one of the key findings from Feeding America’s Food as Medicine 3.0 (FAM3) report, a national initiative funded by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, a philanthropic arm of Elevance Health Foundation. The report adds to growing evidence that food and health are deeply connected, and that strong partnerships between food banks and health care providers can help improve health-related outcomes for neighbors facing hunger.
Here in Westchester County, we have seen that connection firsthand.
According to the report’s Feeding Westchester case study, participants in our Food as Medicine 3.0 program reported an average 12% increase in fruit and vegetable intake compared to baseline. The number of participants who rated their diet as “good” or “very good” increased by 19%. The study also found a 12% reduction in food insecurity among participants compared to baseline.
These findings reflect what many neighbors already know: access to nutritious food is not separate from health and is a critical part of long-term wellbeing.
Feeding Westchester’s Food as Medicine program began in 2018 in collaboration with local medical clinics, community health centers, and hospital systems to help reduce barriers to nutritious food access while tracking health outcomes over time. Through this model, health care partners screen patients for hunger and diet-related disease, refer eligible patients for support, and Feeding Westchester connects them to nutritious food and additional services. In the FAM3 cohort covered by the case study, 1,181 Westchester patients received food through the program.
For neighbors managing chronic health conditions while also navigating the high cost of living, programs like this can offer practical, consistent support. They can also help create more dignified, connected pathways between health care and community-based food access. As the national report notes, food banks are uniquely positioned to work alongside health care providers to reach neighbors with the food and services that support healthier lives.
At Feeding Westchester, this work is part of our broader mission to nourish our neighbors in the fight against hunger. Across our network of 175 partners and programs, we know hunger in Westchester is both widespread and solvable. Food as Medicine is one example of what is possible when community partners come together around practical solutions that meet people where they are.
We are grateful for our partnership with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation and Feeding America, and for what this collaboration made possible for our neighbors.
Read the full Food as Medicine 3.0 report here.
