FOOD IS MEDICNE PROGRAMS CURRENTLY IN FLORIDA

"Medically Tailored Groceries" is defined by Tufts FiM researchers & PhD's, only chef-quality from Sysco, with community baked in with buddy program and motivating health coach,  start and endline biomarker and survey evaluations, fun nutrition education and cooking classes. Change lifestyles, health rebounds. Living Hungry, Tufts University, UF IFAS EFNEP, Sponsored program of the Health Care District of Palm Beach County. 

   Second Harvest Food Bank in Orlando for launching the first Medically Tailored Meals Pilot this June, 2023 funded by a grant from DaVita Giving Foundation for chronic kidney disease patients.  From patient referrals to the food bank for enrollment to the MTM meals made in Mercy Kitchen and delivered to the home, this pilot is working! FIMC Accelerator Graduate in 2022, The Medically Tailored Meals program aims to help people experiencing food insecurity and managing at least one severe illness improve their health outcomes through food. 

   The award-winning Poverello Popup Eat Well Center includes all the grocery items contained in our nutritionist curated healthy meal Plans.  Five Medically Tailored Grocery plan options meet the dietary needs of our clients and the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases such as Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus, Kidney Disease, High Blood Pressure, and other cardiovascular diseases that affect our community and those living with HIV/AIDS.  Poverello is dedicated to honor the dignity of those affected by the HIV/AIDS virus and to serve them with the highest possible degree of understanding, respect, and love. The primary goals in serving our clients are to ease the stress and loneliness caused by the virus, and to their nutritional and other basic living requirements. Providing nutritious food
with understanding, respect and
love for individuals living with
critical and chronic illnesses. 

Food Pharmacy is Pastor Gerard Duncan's vision of health equity seen through the lens of food is medicine. At the Pleasant Street Civil Rights and Cultural Arts Center injustice stems from food insecurity and moves upstream to cause diet-related disease which disproportionately affects local people of color. The goal is to enable the community to improve their quality of life with "Food as Medicine".  Hypertension, Diabetes and Obesity (HDO) diagnosed patients receive both medical nutrition and belonging from community health worker-led small groups,  individualised health plans, and referrals to cancer screening, dental care, and Medicaid all done in a caring environment and  supported by Amgen to reduce LDL levels.  See More of the Magnificent FiM work in Gainesville! 

Frozen "Medically Tailored Meals" are provided through a Doctor referral and designed by RDN. Meals reflect the appropriate medical nutrition from evidence-based guidelines for the disease. Meals of Hope, Immokallee & Naples, FL delivers diabetic frozen meals, food security boxes, and fresh produce to those who have high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity, as well as living in poverty.  Monitoring blood pressure every visit, tracking weight, and doing blood glucose tests every 2 weeks; all while patients were receiving education on nutrition, coaching, and professional advice on how to cook their meals in a healthier way.  Meals of Hope

  Farm to Patient is a produce prescription working with patients  whose doctors advised them to change their diets. Farm to Patient program serves oncology, cardiology, neurology, and pediatric patients that are nutritionally vulnerable. Fresh Rx is committed to buying produce from local family farms that use organic growing practices. Participants receive a free 16- week farm share which allows them to start incorporating more fresh produce into their diet without adding any additional financial pressure. The farm shares typically include microgreens and a seasonal selection of locally grown vegetables. FreshRx works with  physicians, case managers, social workers, and nurse navigators to recommend their patients. 

  "Produce Prescription" is prescribed by a physician to a recipient who has or is at risk of a diet-related disease or condition, such as diabetes, coronary heart disease, cancer, obesity, renal disease, asthma, or dementia, to consume fresh or frozen produce by offering incentives (50% off) for  purchases plus nutrition education and cooking classes. Living Hungry, UF IFAS  EFNEP,  Farmshare, East Coast Farms, C&B Farms, Farmbox RX

 Broward Community & Family Health Centers (BCOM) received $415,000 from The Humana Foundation, philanthropic arm of Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM)  in 2020 to continue working with health clinics to screen patients for food security and diet-related disease. Engaging Patients Impacting Care (EPIC) will also help people apply for Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and help people access healthy foods via a produce prescription program.  Locations in Lauderhill, Pompano Beach, Hollywood, West Park, and https://bcomhealth.org/

  In the wake of the pandemic in March 2020, Pearl’s Pantry was created to provide food to low-income seniors. Since its inception, Pearl’s Pantry has developed into a robust food nutrition program for our seniors with its own case managers and an RDN registered nutritionist providing oversight. We provide deliveries that include two-weeks’ worth of fresh produce, eggs, meats, cheeses and specialized shelf-stable items. In other words, we provide an entire years’ worth of food to each of our seniors, while keeping them healthy and informed throughout the process. Pearl Mae Foundation.  

  4Roots Foundation program recieved $200,000 from the Humana Foundation providing nutrition education, plant-forward meals and heart-healthy meals for low-income seniors at risk of food insecurity. Also in partnership with the City of Orlando and 4Roots, West Lakes Partnership assisted over 475 individuals in need during COVID. Feed the Need is provided 220 fresh produce bags and The Farmacy provided 200 meat/eggs boxes for the families of West Lakes. In addition to delivering hot meals, produce boxes, and masks, West Lakes Partnership believes in moving Orlando families and seniors toward food self-sufficiency over the long term. We are proud to work with our community partners to build a better food future!   4Roots is an alliance of community stakeholders investing in a healthy, thriving, sustainable, food system 

 The Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA’s Veggie Van – A Mobile Market Place – meets the needs of individuals and families living in underserved areas of Hillsborough and East Pasco counties. Through the Veggie Van, the Y distributes and sells fresh, nutritious fruits and vegetables in communities labeled food deserts.The Veggie Van’s goal is to improve the overall well-being of participants and their families. In addition to providing produce, staff and volunteers provide recipe information and healthy living tips. The Y’s Veggie Van stops in the communities of Tampa Heights, Sulphur Springs, Plant City, Dover, TGH Healthpark in Tampa, Wimauma and Lacoochee.  Community food distributions take place the first and third weeks on every month.  The Veggie Van is generously supported by: Feeding Tampa Bay, Publix Charities, American Heart Association, the USDA NIFA GusNIP $499,999 grant in 2022-2025, , Florida Blue Foundation, Joy McCann Foundation, Tampa General Hospital, Interfaith Social Action Council of Sun City Center and United Way Pasco County. 

   Feeding South Florida received $250,000 from The Humana Foundation in 2023  to addressing senior nutrition  and will focus on seniors of color with chronic diabetes and hypertension.  in 2021 Humana Foundation, Aetna and Quantum Foundation funded the Mobile FARMacy to make regular stops at health care clinics, where providers can screen patients for food security and give a “prescription” for food: an appointment at the FARMacy, stationed outside for the individual to visit as they leave the clinic.  

This one-aisle, air-conditioned mobile grocery store is a hybrid of donated items, farmers’ market for-sale items, an educational unit, and Food FARMacy providing prescription produce and other healthy food options with the goal to improve health outcomes of at-risk populations. 

  Fresh and healthy groceries address nutrition insecurity & greet a physicians' patients at his office on the day of the  Food Pharmacy Pop Up Pantry event hosted by Eat Better Live Better. Coaches create fun nutrition education and cooking experiences with recipes and take-home groceries. Patients see physicians do care and bonds are created between patients and physicans over healthy lifestyle changes. Eat Better Live Better.   

 Feeding Tampa Bay received $640,500 from The Humana Foundation in 2020 to give access to food at local clinics via the Food Pharmacy at Community Health Centers of Pineallas (CHCP) will host an onsite food pharmacy (pantry)  at the CHCP clinic and increase access to foods for the neighborhood surround the clinic,  a news release said.  The Food Rx pack in photo brings nutrient-rich foods (canned beans, fruit and vegetables) to food-insecure patients directly at discharge or at the end of an appointment – free of charge at Tampa General Healthpark, Tampa Family Health, Centers, Evara Health,  and Bay Pines VA Healthcare System.

Access to healthy foods (nutrician security) can improve a person’s lifestyle, as well as certain health conditions like diabetes, congestive heart failure, and COPD. 

  Feeding Florida  Healthier Together Produce Prescription Program (HTFVRx) won $499,999 from USDA in 2022-2025 . Grant Summary Specific objectives will include fortifying the food bank (FB) healthy food prescription program impact through technical assistance with sourcing, logistics and funding for fresh produce. This initiative will expand access points to community farm-direct locations with fruit and vegetable vouchers, strengthen digital nutrition education opportunities and establish collaborative program milestones across a spectrum of healthcare providers and food access stakeholders in three Florida regions. HTFVRx will create a replicable model design for FB fruit and vegetable prescriptions (FVRx), which will significantly increase the realization of future programs. This is a FY21 meritorious grantee awarded in 2022.

 The American Heart Association Palm Beach County and Treasure Coast   host a Food Pharmacy  with funding from an AHA Grant to E-Roadmap to feed 26 families in Riveira Beach every two weeks with a healthy set of food delivered to their door. Clients are screened at the Doctor's office at Foundcare or Integrated Healhcare System. 

After 6-months , one client Ms. Johnson reports losing 60 lbs.  Ms. Johnson said she can make 3 to 4 healthy meals for her family of 5 with the food she receives . 

The food pharmacy boxes include fresh produce, whole grains and lean proteins. Families are also provided with free telehealth visits with a registered dietician.