Eating well matters when you’re managing a chronic health condition. But for neighbors struggling to afford healthy groceries, the right foods are not always within reach.
That is why, since 2018, Feed More has partnered with hospitals, health districts, Federally Qualified Health Centers and free clinics across 16 Central Virginia localities to connect health care with food access through its Food as Medicine program. With continued support from the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, this partnership helps screen for food insecurity and connect neighbors in need with immediate and ongoing food assistance.
It starts with a simple question during health care visits: Are you in need of food today? Those who screen positive for food insecurity receive a box of shelf-stable food onsite and a referral to the Feed More Help Line. From there, trained staff and volunteers connect them with additional resources including SNAP, Medicaid and WIC application assistance.
These connections help patients adhere to their treatment plans and manage long-term health conditions by improving food access, in addition to reducing financial tradeoffs between food, medication and other expenses.
Growing evidence supports the approach. The 2026 Food as Medicine 3.0 Cumulative Report found that among more than 1.45 million patients screened across 13 states, participants experienced a 14 percent decrease in hospitalizations, an 11 percent decrease in emergency department visits and a 47 percent increase in food security.
Feed More is seeing encouraging results in Central Virginia, too. Nearly 6,000 neighbors have received healthy groceries and connections to pantries and SNAP application assistance through the Food as Medicine program. Participants experienced 30 percent fewer hospitalizations and 22 percent fewer emergency room visits.
Taken together, these findings show how nutritious food is a foundational part of health and reinforce the role that food banks play in addressing these challenges. When nutritious food is easier to access, neighbors have more opportunities to manage their health and thrive, and a healthy community benefits everyone.
By the numbers
10,049 healthy food boxes distributed to partners
245,383 pounds of food distributed in health care settings
500 medically tailored meals delivered to neighbors
FY 2026 stats (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026)
This content is sourced from
Richmond Feed More
. It reflects the author's views and has not been edited by our newsroom. It may have been generated using AI assistance.
