Woman's hands holding colorful peppers

DC Greens is a proud leader
in the Food is Medicine movement.

Food is Medicine aims to increase access to critical nutrition programs through D.C.'s health care system.

What is ‘Food is Medicine’?

Food is Medicine uses food-based interventions to help prevent, treat, and manage diet-related chronic illnesses.

Food is Medicine interventions include produce prescriptions—like DC Greens’ Produce Rx program—as well as medically tailored groceries and meals and nutrition incentives. The Food is Medicine movement aims to integrate these nutrition interventions into health care delivery and financing systems, making sure that individuals have access to a spectrum of nutrition services available to them to meet their individual needs. 

 

Food is Medicine in the District

Diabetes and hypertension, two very preventable conditions, are now two of the top 10 leading causes of death across the District. In D.C., there are a handful of community-based organizations and national companies that provide access to Food Is Medicine programs. However, access to these programs is limited. DC Greens actively works to expand access to Food Is Medicine through dedicated advocacy and strategic partnerships with other organizations and institutions.

Join the Conversation

Learn About the 1115 Waiver

1115 waivers are the best policy option for increasing access to Food is Medicine services because they allow federal funding to support Health-Related Social Needs infrastructure building. This is a key moment for DC because the DC Health Care Finance department is submitting an 1115 waiver renewal proposal by June 2024, and Food Is Medicine could be included in this proposal. To stay informed in DC 1115 Waiver renewal process you can: