The Merced Medically Supportive Food Project
Merced Medically Supported Food Project is looking to provide fresh and shelf-stable food from the Merced County Food Bank, along with nutrition education from the Merced County Department of Public Health, to determine the impact of a "Food as Medicine" program at improving health outcomes in patients with diabetes and food insecurity in Merced County. The Food for Health Equity Lab is the evaluation partner for this project. We will receive the data from the Electronic Health Record (EHR) database from Castle Family Health Center and perform the statistical analysis to assess impact. Our goal is to generate deeper understanding of and inspire conversations about food as medicine programs in rural communities.
Partners
Castle Family Health Centers
Castle Family Health Centers, Inc. (CFHC), a Merced County community clinic, was incorporated as a California Non-Profit Public Benefit Corporation in 2006 and received federal 501(c)(3) non-profit designation in 2007.
Merced County Food Bank
To fulfill our mission, we source and distribute food and other products to those in need with the help of partnering agencies and MCFB programs. We also conduct hunger education and awareness campaigns and advocate for public policies that alleviate hunger.