Richmond, VA – Food is a powerful tool for better health, especially as people facing hunger experience higher rates of chronic illness and higher health care costs.
During National Nutrition Month this March, Feed More is joining Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, an affiliated arm of Elevance Health Foundation, and Feeding America to highlight how health starts with what’s on your plate.
Since 2019, Feed More’s “Food as Medicine” program has helped neighbors facing hunger access dietitian-designed meals with culturally relevant foods that match their tastes and medical needs, including medically tailored foods for diet-related illnesses. These supports are especially important as many families are forced to make impossible choices between food and health care that make it harder to maintain their health.
“Access to nourishing food is a critical component that influences your overall health — and by eliminating barriers to healthy food, this Food as Medicine partnership is helping neighbors managing chronic health conditions thrive,” says Allison Hallberg, Community Health and Resources Director at Feed More. “Thanks to our incredible partners at Feeding America and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, we’re helping more Central Virginia neighbors manage their diet-related diseases and get the nourishment they need to thrive.”
Together with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, Feed More screens neighbors for food insecurity, provides referrals to nutritious meals and delivers resources in ways that help remove barriers and respect choice. Over the past year, this grant funding supported Feed More hiring its first full-time bilingual SNAP Program Navigator, improved quality connections to our healthcare patient referrals through our Help Line and continued to support deepened partnerships in the Tri-Cities and rural counties across our service area.
“Access to nutritious food is fundamental to good health and long-term well-being,” said Monica Schmude, president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia. “Through our partnership with Feed More and Feeding America, we’re advancing a Food as Medicine approach that connects individuals and families to the healthy foods they need — strengthening community health while helping reduce the long-term costs associated with food insecurity.”
Food and Health programs across the Feeding America network are showing encouraging signs that these interventions can support improved health for families. By offering neighbors consistent access to nutritious foods, Feed More is helping lay the groundwork for better health outcomes and greater stability for households in Central Virginia.
To learn more about Feed More, visit: www.FeedMore.org.
