Background
Food and nutrition security are two of the most-critical unmet needs in the U.S. due to their profound and far-reaching effects on individuals and communities. Unfortunately, this burden is not distributed equally; racial and ethnic minority groups experience food and nutrition insecurity at disproportionately high rates.
Food insecurity is the lack of consistent access to enough food necessary to live an active and healthy lifestyle, and it can be caused by a variety of factors. Roughly 14% of individuals across the U.S., or 47 million people, experience food insecurity.
Nutrition insecurity compliments food insecurity and also emphasizes the quality and nutritional value of that food. Someone may have access to enough calories but still be nutrition insecure due to limited access to fresh produce and lean protein, or to a dependence on inexpensive, energy-dense but nutrient-poor foods.
People who are food or nutrition insecure are more affected than others by diet-related chronic diseases. And with roughly 600,000 people dying each year from conditions linked to diet, such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity, it’s imperative that we identify meaningful Food as Medicine solutions and support interventions that improve the quality and availability of healthy food in our country.
2021–2024
Over the past three years, the Foundation has awarded $30 million to support 51 nonprofit organizations across the country that focus on:
- Reducing the number of individuals experiencing food insecurity
- Improving clinical outcomes for individuals experiencing food insecurity with chronic conditions
- Creating more access to nutritious food by increasing affordable, healthy food options for populations experiencing food insecurity
Foundation Accomplishments: 2021–2024
Awarded to 51 nonprofit organizations across the country.
Individuals reached through screenings, nutrition counseling, and assistance with benefit enrollment.
Share of program participants with diet-related conditions who reported improved health.
Share of grant-program recipients who reported reduced food insecurity.
What's Next
At the end of 2024, Elevance Health Foundation assessed its prior commitments to programs that support Food as Medicine initiatives.
As a result of their success, the Foundation is launching a new five-year commitment, beginning in January 2025, broadening its focus to include new grant opportunities. These grants will promote greater collaboration among nonprofit organizations and healthcare institutions through community coalitions and will enhance the efficacy of Food as Medicine interventions.
The Foundation remains committed to partnering with nonprofit organizations that are addressing health equity, providing whole-person care, and demonstrating a deep understanding of the health-related needs of the populations they serve.
Our Approach in Action
Food & Friends
Through a pivotal Food as Medicine grant from the Elevance Health Foundation, Food & Friends will be able to provide an additional 29,000 home-delivered, medically tailored meals to Virginia residents grappling with serious diseases and food insecurity.
As a result of Food & Friends, recipients dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare who receive medically tailored meals experience a 50% reduction in inpatient admissions and a 70% decrease in emergency department visits.
Feeding America®
Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, received a new, $14.1 million grant to expand its current partnership, known as the Food as Medicine program, and help 30 member food banks that are working with healthcare partners. This multiphase collaboration, which began in 2019, between hospital systems and food banks could influence our understanding of how food as medicine affects clinical outcomes among people at risk of or suffering from diet-related health conditions, such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
Fund for the City of New York
The Fund received a $550,000 grant from the Elevance Health Foundation to support a new program focused on improving health outcomes for food-insecure New Yorkers in the South Bronx who have hypertension and/or are prediabetic or have uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. Patients and their households will receive home delivery of culturally and medically tailored meals. To drive lasting behavioral changes, community health workers will provide health coaching and benefits navigation.
Charitable Pharmacy of Central Ohio
A $100,000 grant from the Elevance Health Foundation supports the “Farmacy in the City” program, which offers cardiac and diabetes patients from underserved neighborhoods fresh produce, pharmacy care, and follow-up appointments to reduce diabetes morbidity and mortality risk. Through free insulin and testing supplies, food prescriptions/food pantry access, and meal-planning support, the program helps participants optimize blood sugar levels, body weight, blood pressure, and medication use.