Over the last three years, BUILD awardees have been building community power and changing systems to create healthier neighborhoods. This story features the Food is Medicine initiative in Boone, NC.
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The Food is Medicine initiative is a cross-sector collaboration in Boone, North Carolina. Through this initiative, partners in Boone are creating spaces where critical resources for well-being, like healthcare, food, and social services, are integrated, centralized, and accessible for residents.
The program began as a food pantry anchored by The Hunger and Health Coalition. Over time, it has evolved into a comprehensive resource center, improving community members’ access to fresh, locally-sourced food and primary healthcare services in one centralized location.
Over the past three years, the collaborative has:
- Developed a new model for rural health that integrated healthy, locally-sourced food and healthcare services in one centralized location;
- Pivoted to coordinate and provide emergency relief services in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene;
- And solidified important partnerships and relationships with community residents to work together to address broad upstream drivers of health.
Read about the BUILD initiative in Boone, and learn more.
“The Hunger and Health Coalition had a vision for Food is Medicine grounded in a deep love and commitment to their community.”
Follow along with the Food is Medicine initiative here and here.