New Pilot Program Will Deliver Medically Tailored Groceries to People Living with Illness
Community Servings and The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts announced the launch of a collaborative effort by the nonprofit organizations to expand access to nutritious meals for residents living with diet-related chronic illnesses and food insecurity in Central Massachusetts. The pilot project has started enrolling eligible residents to receive medically tailored groceries at no cost.
During the pilot, which is supported by a $425,000 Synergy Initiative grant from The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts, Community Servings will ship groceries, as prescribed by its team of registered dietitian nutritionists, directly to participants in Central Massachusetts over a 24-week period. The groceries will consist of ingredients – including produce sourced from Central Massachusetts farms – which participants with health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease can use to prepare nutritious meals.
“This Synergy Initiative pilot project is the first of its kind to bring medically tailored groceries to the doorsteps of individuals in the region who are food-insecure and ill, and we look forward to measuring the impact of this intervention which takes place in the comfort of participants’ home kitchens,” said Dr. Amie Shei, President and CEO of The Health Foundation. “The transformative nature of this initiative in addressing social determinants of health is fully aligned with our mission to improve health in Central Massachusetts, and we are fortunate to be partnering with Community Servings, a national leader in the food is medicine movement.”
“On behalf of the full Community Servings team, we are grateful to have the support of The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts for our efforts to make medically tailored nutrition more accessible across Massachusetts,” said David B. Waters, CEO of Community Servings. “This pilot project has all the right ingredients – including community service, collaborative partnership and a purposeful health care pilot – to make a real difference in Central Massachusetts.”
The medically tailored groceries pilot is a new intervention for Community Servings, which has delivered scratch-made, fully prepared medically tailored meals for the past 35 years. Meals are delivered throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island from its main kitchen in Jamaica Plain and through its distribution center in Mansfield.
Last year, the nonprofit delivered more than 64,000 medically tailored meals to 405 clients in Central Massachusetts. Community Servings is partnering with Boston-based Morrissey Market to provide the packages of medically tailored groceries. Fresh produce will be sourced from Central Massachusetts farms through the Leominster-based nonprofit Growing Places.
“As a Central Massachusetts-based organization dedicated to improving regional health by leveraging the strengths of our local food system, Growing Places is excited to collaborate with Community Servings on this impactful project,” said Ayn Yeagle, Executive Director of Growing Places. “This initiative creates a mutually beneficial impact: Residents receiving medically tailored groceries gain access to high-quality, nutritious local food that supports their well-being, while our local farmers benefit from a stronger, more resilient agricultural economy.”
This pilot grant from The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts to Community Servings follows a $250,000 planning year grant awarded in 2024 through the Synergy Initiative, a grant program that supports projects from planning to pilot stage to full implementation over the course of three to five years. Currently in its sixth round of funding, the Synergy Initiative supports collaborative projects in Central Massachusetts that address health issues with integrated, comprehensive strategies focused on systems change.
Enrollment Information
Community Servings is currently recruiting up to 55 Central Massachusetts residents on a rolling basis to participate in the pilot at no cost. In addition to receiving medically tailored groceries, participants will also have access to recipes and nutrition education and counseling. Participants who are asked to complete a survey before and after the intervention will receive a $25 gift card for each survey.
To be eligible, residents must have a diagnosis of one or more critical or chronic illness and face the risk of nutritional deficiency or imbalance due to food insecurity. Participants must be capable of preparing meals at home.
To submit an application, please visit: FoodIsMedicineMA.org/synergy.