Food as Medicine at the Institute

At the Institute, we are committed to helping our patients access fresh and healthy food to prevent chronic disease. We offer a variety of programs across our different locations to help our patients access healthy food. We also partner with community organizations and local businesses, like food pantries and bodegas, to make it easier to access healthy food in the community.

Some of our projects, past and present, have included:

• The Produce Prescription Program. The Institute was grateful to offer a USDA-funded program that offered Bronx-based patients at risk of food insecurity with regular boxes of high quality, fresh local fruits and vegetables on a bi-weekly basis for a minimum of six months. The cost to patients was only $2.50. The program also included recipes for how to use each item in the box, as well as demonstrations with a chef.
• The Health Bucks Program. Through partnerships with the New York City Department of Mental Health and Hygiene and local faith and community organizations, the Institute promotes Health Bucks, where participants can receive $2 coupons to spend at local farmer’s markets in the Bronx during the summer.
• Healthy Plates Around the World. We developed a series of “Healthy Plates,” a meal-planning tool to help patients manage diabetes and other conditions. “Healthy Plates” are easy to use and are available in several designs.
• Free produce from the Phillies Bridge Farm Project. Through a partnership with a local farm in the Mid-Hudson Valley and with funding from New York State, we were able to offer free boxes of fresh produce to our New Paltz and Kingston patients. In addition to the produce, patients could also receive free cooking equipment and attend cooking demonstrations.

In addition, our primary care providers, nutritionists, certified diabetes educators (CDEs) and social workers support our patients in accessing healthy foods to better support their health. If you are struggling with food access, or find it difficult to afford fresh, healthy meals, let your provider or another staff member know. We can help you apply for benefits or other programs that can help you access healthy food.

Ready to get started? Call (844) 434-2778 or use MyChart to make an appointment.