Montgomery County’s Office of Food Systems Resilience (OFSR) and Office of Grants Management (OGM) have awarded $750,000 to six partnerships working to expand access to nutritious, locally produced foods for County residents experiencing diet-related health conditions.
The funded partnerships bring together more than a dozen organizations across the local food and healthcare sectors, including primary care providers, hospital systems, food assistance organizations, nutrition educators, and local farms.
Through the initiative, participating healthcare providers will screen patients for food insecurity and diet-related health conditions. Eligible patients will be referred for recurring, medically tailored food assistance for four to six months.
The awarded organizations and their collaborating partners are:
The funded partnerships are expected to serve at least 450 Montgomery County households during the 12-month program period. Eligible participants must live in the County, have at least one child age 18 or younger in the household, and screen positive for both food insecurity and a chronic diet-related condition, such as hypertension, diabetes, or obesity.
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Households participating in the Food as Medicine program will also have access to nutrition education classes that provide practical tools and strategies for shopping for and preparing affordable, healthy meals.
“The Food as Medicine program has already demonstrated tremendous success as it enters its third iteration,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “These offerings get us closer to achieving County and state-level health improvement goals by addressing the root causes of health inequities.”
During fiscal year (FY) 2025, Food as Medicine grantees sourced between 40 to 80% of medically relevant foods from Montgomery County farms, resulting in at least 122,831 pounds of locally grown produce purchased and distributed to program participants.
FY 2026 awardees will continue prioritizing locally sourced food through partnerships with Community FarmShare, which works with more than 25 Montgomery County farms, and One Acre Farm in Dickerson, which will provide produce boxes directly to participants through Adventist HealthCare.
“The Food as Medicine grant program offers us an easy way to provide nutritious produce to communities that really need it,” said Mike Protas, owner of One Acre Farm. “Our other sales outlets meet a different audience, one for whom food insecurity is rarely, if ever, a concern. Thus, this program helps us to expand our reach and allows the benefits of the food we grow to reach more people. It is also a steady presence throughout the summer and fall to which we know we can direct 600 to 1000 pounds of produce weekly.”
Additionally, the Korean Community Services Center of Greater Washington will collaborate with Lotte Plaza Market to facilitate flexible access to culturally and medically relevant foods of the patient’s choice using market vouchers.
“We are sincerely grateful for Montgomery County’s investment in this initiative, which has made it possible for us, in partnership with Lotte Market, to expand access to culturally familiar, medically appropriate foods and advance health equity,” said Ji-Young Cho, director of Korean Community Services of Greater Washington.
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Throughout the one-year program period, OFSR will collect data from Food as Medicine grantees on participant screenings, food distribution, nutrition education, and overall program outcomes. Participant surveys will also be conducted before and after the program to help measure its impact.
“The Food as Medicine program implements a systems-based approach to build the resilience of our local food system,” said Heather Bruskin, director of the OFSR. “These partnerships create direct connections between our County’s healthcare providers, nonprofit organizations, residents, and farms. This puts nutritious food on families’ tables today, while strengthening community health, food production, and small businesses for a brighter future.”
For more information about these programs, contact Catherine Nardi, program manager for the Office of Food Systems Resilience at catherine.nardi@montgomerycountymd.gov.
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Read the original article at mcgov
