DENVER — The Food Bank of the Rockies is combating food insecurities by delivering medically tailored food boxes to neighbors with chronic illnesses.
Patients who have certain health risk factors and have been identified as food insecure through a screening process qualify to take part in the Food for Health program to receive free grocery boxes weekly.
The program started in October 2022, and since then, the food bank has served more than 400 neighbors.
Richard Butler With the success of Food for Health, Monica Buhlig, chief programs officer at Food Bank of the Rockies, looks forward to expanding the program.
“The Food for Health program is one of the Food Bank of the Rockies’ newer programs, and it is designed to bridge healthcare with nutrition. We know that people who experience food insecurity are two to three times more likely to have a chronic disease. We want the nutritious choice to be the easy choice for our neighbors,” said Buhlig.
Food Bank of the Rockies uses food delivery services like DoorDash and Bull Runner to deliver the food directly to the patient’s home for their convenience. Lori Symington has made multiple deliveries for the program, calling the experience rewarding.