Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation through its “Food as Medicine” grant program recently awarded Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin a $50,000 grant to support its HungerCare Wellness Program.
The HungerCare Wellness Program began in 2016 as a pilot program to provide nutritionally tailored food boxes and education to those experiencing food insecurity and managing Type 2 diabetes. In 2019, the program expanded to include individuals managing heart disease. The future of the program is to increasingly focus on establishing partnerships in marginalized communities with the highest rates of food insecurity and nutrition-related chronic health conditions.
Over a three-year period, the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation will invest up to $30 million to support programs that address food insecurity by helping individuals reach optimal health through good nutrition across the country. As of September 2023, over $27 million in food as medicine grants has been awarded.
