As families across northern Nevada continue to face rising grocery and health care costs, the Food Bank of Northern Nevada is spotlighting a simple but powerful idea: food can be medicine.
In recognition of National Nutrition Month this March, the Food Bank is partnering with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation and Feeding America to highlight how access to nutritious food can play a critical role in improving health — especially for neighbors experiencing hunger.
Health experts say people facing food insecurity are more likely to suffer from chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease and hypertension. When households are forced to choose between paying for food or medical care, managing those conditions becomes even more difficult.
That’s where the Food Bank’s Prescription Pantry program comes in.
Launched in 2017, the “Food as Medicine” initiative connects patients directly to nutritious foods tailored to their health needs. The program works in partnership with health care providers who screen patients for food insecurity. If someone qualifies, they receive a “prescription” for healthy food that can be filled at participating neighborhood pantries.
Right now, the Food Bank partners with 14 health care providers and 14 local pantries across the region. Those pantries stock foods selected specifically to support patients managing chronic conditions, including fresh produce and other heart-healthy staples.
“We know that access to fresh, nutritious food is not available to many people who live right here in our region,” said Frankie Ortiz, health equity manager at the Food Bank of Northern Nevada. “This program helps us highlight the importance of these nutritious foods in everyone’s diet and bring together the partners that make access possible.”
The initiative is part of Feeding America’s broader “Food as Medicine” effort and is funded by the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, an affiliated arm of Elevance Health Foundation.
“Food is a powerful driver of health,” said Joy Thomas, president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Nevada Medicaid Health Plan. “Through our partnership with the Food Bank of Northern Nevada and Feeding America, we are helping bridge funding and service gaps so more neighbors can access nutritious food and improve health outcomes across Nevada.”
Programs like this are showing promising results nationwide, with early signs indicating that consistent access to nutritious food can help improve health outcomes and provide greater stability for families.
For the Food Bank of Northern Nevada, the goal is clear: ensure that what’s on the plate helps build a healthier future for the region.
