Healthy Food Access Grants

A nationwide survey completed by Michigan State University stated that 31 percent of people report that the pandemic has affected their ability to feed their family. Several risk factors of maternal mortality, such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, rely on a healthy diet; however, accessing healthy food can be a real challenge for low-income pregnant individuals.

Maternal mortality and morbidity remains a serious issue in Pennsylvania and across the U.S. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. experienced a maternal mortality rate of 32.9 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2021, the highest of any developed country. Rates of maternal mortality and morbidity continue to rise, particularly among non-Hispanic black populations.

The Jewish Healthcare Foundation (JHF) is operating as the fiscal agent for federal Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Funds provided through the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services to address maternal health needs. A total of $2.25 million is available to provide short-term healthy food access grants.

Proposals are being sought from interested and qualified Pennsylvania organizations that will provide food-is-medicine style programs to make healthy, nutritious foods available to low-income pregnant people to demonstrate the impact this has on their overall health, maternity outcomes, and infant outcomes.

As of 3/1/24, submissions are closed.

Healthy Food Access RFP awardees as of 4/19/24:

Organization	Population served	Location	Description
MANNA	Low-income pregnant people experiencing gestational diabetes in Philadelphia area	Philadelphia	MANNA will expand its gestational diabetes food delivery for pregnant clients to serve 60 clients in North Philadelphia by providing 36 weeks of home-delivered, medically tailored meals, including two months postpartum, in addition to providing nutritional counseling and other nutrition education. Participants will be identified by Einstein Healthcare Network and co-enrolled in their Diabetes in Pregnant Management Program, which provides weekly telehealth visits.
Allegheny Health Network (AHN) Immigrant & Refugee Health Doula Program	Pregnant people with gestational diabetes and/or type 1 or type 2 in Allegheny and surrounding counties	Allegheny County	Allegheny Health Network will increase impact related to maternal nutrition and food insecurity support through a collaboration with the AHN Healthy Food Centers. Doulas/CHWs will be trained to provide culturally appropriate, basic maternal nutrition education to pregnant and postpartum clients during home visits and appointments on an ongoing basis. Through this project, Doulas/CHWs will learn to recognize and address food insecurity and nutrition-related concerns during their encounters through screening assessments and informal conversation and act accordingly by providing tailored food boxes to their clients.
Chester County Food Bank	WIC-enrolled families in Chester County	Chester County	Chester County Food Bank will expand their current Fruit and Vegetable Prescription program for Chester County families enrolled in WIC. The program provides eligible families with a prescription card that can be used at the Fresh2You Mobile Market during the summer and fall months, in addition to CSA boxes during the winter months, and year-round educational workshops and recipes. Participants will be enrolled during pregnancy or early postpartum and the prescription will end at 12 months postpartum when their other WIC benefits have expired.
Adagio Health	WIC-eligible families in Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Indiana, and Lawrence Counties	Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Indiana, and Lawrence Counties	Funding supports Adagio Health's expansion of food cupboards, along with a mobile unit that will expand the WIC program's reach in the five-county footprint (Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Indiana, and Lawrence) beyond the brick-and-mortar offices. Additionally, teaching kitchens will be available for clients enrolled in 5-county WIC program prenatal patients at Adagio Health office locations in Beaver, Butler, and Lawrence counties.
United Way of Greater Philadelphia	Pregnant Philadelphians diagnosed with gestational diabetes	Philadelphia	United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey will use this funding to launch a pilot wraparound "Food is Medicine" program that provides comprehensive, neighbor-centric, and tailored food benefits and nutrition counseling to pregnant people with gestational diabetes in Philadelphia. Participants will have the option to choose from home-delivered medically tailored meals, healthy non-tailored meals, grocery boxes, and food vouchers. The program will be implemented through Philadelphia Partnership for Nutrition and Health, which includes United Way, MANNA, Philabundence, Jefferson Health Plan/Health Partners Plans, Jefferson, and Temple.
Family Health Council of Central PA	WIC-enrolled families in Somerset County	Somerset County	Family Health Council of Central PA will provide targeted education by a WIC nutritionist and expand the existing "Farmer's Market Dollars" program, which will ensure the continued availability of a FMNP-voucher produce match for WIC clients who are pregnant or up to 12 months postpartum and expand healthy food access for at least 330 people each year.
The Food Trust	Low-income families living in Philadelphia	Philadelphia	The Food Trust will expand its Food Bucks Rx produce prescription program, which partners with Philadelphia-based healthcare partners to offer eligible patients prescription coupons or cards to be redeemed for fresh fruits and vegetables at nearby supermarkets, corner stores, and farmers markets. Free nutrition education will be offered in two modes, virtually and in-person. Additionally, funding will support 4-6 cooking workshops, along with options to engage children alongside their caregivers, designed to engage participants in preparing healthy meals, meal planning on a budget, and eating a nutrient-rich diet.
Fayette County Community Action Agency	Low-income pregnant people and new families in Fayette County	Fayette County	Fayette County Community Action Agency will use this funding to provide monthly cooking classes to low-income pregnant people and new families in Fayette County. Classes will teach food preparation and provide participants with nutritional bags filled with fruits and vegetables. Additionally, participants will receive Farmer's Market Vouchers that are redeemable at the on-site Farmer's Market.
Helping Harvest	Pregnant and postpartum people living in Berks or Schuylkill counties	Berks and Schuylkill Counties	Helping Harvest will provide prescription food boxes and education to food insecure pregnant and postpartum people living in Berks or Schuylkill Counties through a partnership with Berks Community Health Center, in addition to supporting SNAP enrollment. Program expansion will also involve these services for patients at obstetrician and pediatrician practices within Tower Health, Penn State Health - St. Joseph's, St. Luke's, Lehigh Valley Health Network, as well as local WIC offices, Nurse-Family Partnership and others in their service area.
The Alliance for Health Equity	Low-income pregnant people in Coatesville area	Coatesville, PA	The Alliance for Health Equity will use this funding to help low-income pregnant residents of Coatesville and new families in the area to learn, choose, prepare, and consume healthy foods specific to their health needs by providing cooking classes, education, and food distribution. Patients at ChesPenn Health Services will receive prescriptions of personalized, healthy food items onsite and free of cost. In collaboration with the Chester County Food Bank, the program will also support educating participants regarding food preparation from a nutritionist.
York County Food Bank	Low-income pregnant people and their families	York County	York County Food Bank will partner with Family First Health to identify 100 food insecure low-income pregnant people and their families each month. Participants will then be referred to York County Food Bank's Online Pantry Program, where they will be able to order food boxes, along with recipes, nutrition education, and additional community resources.
ACLAMO	Pregnant people and new families in Montgomery County, with a focus on Latino community	Montgomery County	ACLAMO will use this funding to support the Safe Haven Food Pantry and Community Closet, which provides holistic, bilingual, and bicultural programming, nutritious food, health education, and material resources to Latinx pregnant people and new families in Montgomery County. The intake process helps to identify intersectional needs and social determinants of health that can be addressed by the community health worker, social workers, or other services.

Questions can be sent to nutrition@jhf.org