Help us raise $250,000 by December 31 to launch the first phase of our new Food is Medicine model – designed by community and led with trust.
The Challenge
Food is Medicine (FIM) programs provide medically tailored meals, produce prescriptions, and other nutrition supports. These services empower individuals to make food choices that help prevent and manage chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
But to deliver FIM’s full potential to improve health in under-resourced Black, Indigenous, Latinx, AAPI, and immigrant communities, programs must be designed by and with the people who use and refer to them.
That’s where community health workers (CHWs) come in. As trusted leaders with lived experience and deep community ties, CHWs are uniquely positioned to co-design and deliver programs that reflect culture, honor dignity, and expand real access to nourishing food. Empowering CHWs to lead is how Food is Medicine can fulfill its true potential.
Our Solution: Food is Medicine, Reimagined
To make Food is Medicine work for every community, we’re launching a new initiative that:
- Trains and certifies CHWs with a new Food is Medicine and nutrition module, co-developed with Tufts COHERE and community members.
- Equips CHWs to co-design and deliver culturally congruent, medically tailored nutrition interventions with patients and families.
- Reaches thousands of people with programs rooted in trust, culture, and dignity.
- Builds the evidence and tools to scale statewide - and influence national Food is Medicine policy.
This isn’t just about meals. It’s about shifting systems so communities lead, CHWs are empowered, and health equity becomes possible.
Why Us, Why Now
We know this model works – because we’ve done it before.
Through the Neighborhood Food Action Collaborative (NFAC), co-led with Vital CxNs and dozens of partners, Health Leads helped transform Boston’s food access system. Together we:
Distributed culturally relevant produce to 20,800 families.
Recovered more than 300,000 pounds of food.
Supported 12 CHWs in training and certification, and 24 peer advocates who helped families with 350+ SNAP applications.
Built a collaborative of 50 residents, 30 community-based organizations, and multiple city/state partners.
Partnered in statewide coalitions to win approval for the “Common Application” and SNAP benefits for legally present immigrants.
NFAC achieved what it set out to do: shift power into community hands. Building on that success, and with communities calling for better solutions, we are now bringing those lessons to Food is Medicine.
The Impact of Your Gift
With your support, we will:
Launch the first cohort of 5 CHWs this year.
Develop nutrition education and culturally tailored FIM curriculum for Latinx, Haitian, and Chinese communities.
Train 15 CHWs across three cohorts, equipping them with new tools to lead interventions.
Reach more than 14,000 individuals through direct FIM services, education, and community outreach.
Build a replicable model that influences Massachusetts CHW certification standards and informs national best practices.
How You Can Help
This vision is bold – raise $1.7M over 18 months to support the full program – but it’s possible with you!
Donate today to power the next chapter of Food is Medicine.
Share this campaign with your networks, colleagues, and anyone who believes in health equity.
Stand with us in imagining a world where communities design what works for them - and systems finally follow their lead.
It all begins now. By reaching $250,000 by December 31, we can launch Phase One, train the first CHWs, and prove what’s possible. Your support today makes the difference.
To learn more about partnering with Health Leads or supporting this work, contact Sylvia Koodrich, VP of Business Partnerships & Investor Relations, at skoodrich@healthleadsusa.org.