Delaware unites nutrition, healthcare to tackle chronic disease

June 30, 2025

In Delaware, a new vision for health is taking root — one that begins not in the doctor’s office, but at the dinner table. Through the statewide Food is Medicine initiative, leaders are exploring how access to healthy food can prevent disease, lower healthcare costs, and improve quality of life. The Food Bank of Delaware is at the forefront, bringing its resources, community connections, and innovative thinking to the table.

Meeting Basic Needs with Compassion

At the Healthy Pantry Center in Milford, neighbors — young and old — quietly wait their turn to “shop” for groceries. Some travel over 45 minutes for a chance to pick up fresh vegetables, fruits, protein, and pantry staples. They are parents, seniors, and working families struggling to make ends meet.

One woman shared that she was battling cancer and couldn’t work. The food she received at the pantry would carry her through the month. Another neighbor, accompanied by her adult son, was able to use the food to prepare healthier meals at home.

Stories like these are a daily reminder: healthy food is more than nourishment — it’s a lifeline.

The Vision: Integrating Food and Healthcare

What if getting healthy meals could be as routine as filling a prescription?

The Food is Medicine initiative seeks to make that vision reality by integrating nutrition services with healthcare — especially for people facing poverty, chronic illness, and limited transportation. The idea is simple: when healthy food is accessible, health outcomes improve.

“Food as medicine is one of our board’s top priorities,” says Leah Brown, MS, RDN, LDN, the Food Bank’s Community Nutrition Director. She is helping share the organization’s strategy to support the initiative statewide.

John Fink, MD, Bayhealth Vice President of Quality and Medical Affairs, serves on the Food Bank’s board of directors and chairs the Food as Medicine Committee. “The Food Bank (and specifically our Food is Medicine team) brought together key leaders from health care systems across the state that are currently working in this space.  With the help of FBD, that group was able to share knowledge and experiences with Food is Medicine work to better serve their communities throughout Delaware,” he said.

Taking Action: Programs Already Underway

Brown formed the Community Mobile Health Collective in 2023 to establish a collaboration between Delaware Health Systems and the Food Bank of Delaware in order to build a state vision connecting mobile health units and mobile pantries. The collective will address food insecurity and health from a common location. Additionally, the collaboration is expected to create a shared road map to better allocate resources, services, and funding where they are needed statewide.

Thanks to a $50,000 grant from Highmark Health Options, the Food Bank of Delaware is partnering with mobile healthcare providers to bring food and health services directly to underserved communities. These joint events — up to 20 mobile food pantries — will also offer health screenings, medical referrals, and information about community programs.

“We’re using service mapping tools to find areas with the greatest need — what we call ‘cold spots’ for both food and healthcare access,” says Larry Haas, Chief Development Officer. “Our goal is to bring multiple layers of support to places that often go overlooked.”

Strategic scheduling will help avoid overlap, ensure better coordination, and maximize the impact of every outreach effort. “Food as medicine is one of our board’s top priorities,” says Leah Brown, MS, RD, LDN, the Food Bank’s Community Nutrition Director. She is helping shape the organization’s strategy to support the initiative statewide.

Building a Statewide Framework

On the policy level, the Food Bank is deeply involved in helping shape Delaware’s first Food is Medicine framework. Haas serves on Gov. Matt Meyer’s newly formed committee, alongside healthcare providers, agricultural leaders, and researchers.

The committee will focus on three goals:

• Health Equity: Expand access to nutrition programs for low-income and high-risk communities.
• Cost Savings: Reduce hospital visits and Medicaid spending by improving diet-related health conditions.
• Economic Growth: Strengthen Delaware’s food system by creating demand for locally grown produce.

Lt. Gov. Kyle Evans Gay will chair the committee, which will draw insights from national leaders like Tufts University and Kaiser Permanente. The aim is to build a sustainable, data-driven model that can serve as a blueprint for other states.

Looking Ahead

Leah Brown emphasizes that the Food Bank is actively revising its mobile pantry schedules to better serve food and medical deserts. With support from partners like the University of Delaware and Delaware First, the organization is committed to expanding its reach.

“Over time, these efforts will make a big difference,” Brown says. “It’s about being more intentional — and more impactful.”