New York Health Foundation

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Funding Area: Healthy Food, Healthy Lives

American Farmland Trust

Farm-to-school programs bring locally grown, fresh, healthy food into cafeterias, benefiting children, farmers, educators, and health care providers. Starting in 2018, NYHealth has partnered with American Farmland Trust (AFT) to advance the farm-to-school movement in New York State. In 2024, NYHealth awarded American Farmland Trust a grant to strengthen and unify the farm-to-school movement in New York State through improved policy coordination and the provision of expert guidance on policy analysis. 

Under this grant, AFT offered expertise to policymakers, school districts, farmers, and other coalition members about the changes needed to address potential conflicts in existing and new policies. AFT conducted policy research and analysis; coordinated diverse stakeholders; and advocated for policy changes and modifications.  

StrivEquity Consulting, LLC (fiscal sponsor: Emerging Equity, LLC)

Unequal access to healthy, affordable food is a major contributor to the disproportionately high rates of food insecurity and diet-related disease in communities of color. To address these disparities, NYHealth used a request for proposals (RFP) to identify projects led by organizations rooted in the communities most affected by food insecurity that (1) support healthier, culturally responsive food in public institutions and (2) promote Food Is Medicine interventions. After awarding 10 grants to support projects throughout the State, NYHealth prioritized supporting grantees with customized technical assistance (TA). In 2024, NYHealth awarded StrivEquity Consulting, LLC (through fiscal sponsor Emerging Equity, LLC) a grant to provide technical assistance (TA) and increase the collective impact of a cohort of grantees working to advance a more racially equitable, healthier food system.

Under this grant, the consultants will assess each organization’s TA needs and goals during the first phase of the engagement and develop customized support for each grantee. The consultants will provide a range of TA services, including engaging community members meaningfully; structuring and executing partnerships and agreements with government agencies and health care providers; communicating effectively and tailoring strategic messaging to different decisionmakers; measuring and describing program impact; and securing sustainable funding sources. The consultants will also identify opportunities for shared learning, joint problem-solving, or collective advocacy, as well as create linkages and opportunities for collaboration.

Syracuse University, Maxwell School Center for Policy Research

People experiencing food insecurity often face poorer diet quality, higher rates of diet-related illnesses, and greater health care costs. Research shows that medically supportive food and nutrition services—known as Food Is Medicine (FIM)—can reduce the severity of these problems. Veterans generally experience worse health outcomes and higher rates of food insecurity compared to civilians. A recent veterans’ needs assessment commissioned by NYHealth found that one-quarter of veterans in New York experienced food insecurity in the past year. Yet, few FIM models have been tailored to meet the specific needs of veterans. In 2022, NYHealth awarded God’s Love We Deliver a grant to develop and launch a FIM pilot to serve veterans, with a focus on veterans with behavioral health diagnoses. God’s Love developed an enhanced menu optimized for mental health, expanded community outreach, and trained staff to deliver trauma-informed, culturally competent care to veterans. In 2024, NYHealth awarded God’s Love We Deliver a grant to expand its Phase 1 pilot to improve the health and food security of veterans. 

Under this grant, the Maxwell X Lab will evaluate a new FIM pilot (carried out in partnership with the Syracuse VA Medical Center and Instacart) that provides nutrition counseling and a $100 monthly subsidy for home delivery of medically tailored groceries to veterans with diabetes and hypertension. The project aims to build the case for sustainability at Veterans Affairs (VA) sites across the country, as well as with health plans. It will collect, analyze, and share qualitative and clinical outcome data to make the case for expanded FIM programs for veterans, with the ultimate goal of securing Medicaid, Medicare, and Tricare reimbursement for FIM services  

NYHealth is also supporting a complementary initiative with God’s Love We Deliver.  

God’s Love We Deliver

People experiencing food insecurity often face poorer diet quality, higher rates of diet-related illnesses, and greater health care costs. Research shows that medically supportive food and nutrition services—known as Food Is Medicine (FIM)—can reduce the severity of these problems. Veterans generally experience worse health outcomes and higher rates of food insecurity compared to civilians. A recent veterans’ needs assessment commissioned by NYHealth found that one-quarter of veterans in New York experienced food insecurity in the past year. Yet, few FIM models have been tailored to meet the specific needs of veterans. In 2022, NYHealth awarded God’s Love We Deliver a grant to develop and launch a FIM pilot to serve veterans, with a focus on veterans with behavioral health diagnoses. God’s Love developed an enhanced menu optimized for mental health, expanded community outreach, and trained staff to deliver trauma-informed, culturally competent care to veterans. In 2024, NYHealth awarded God’s Love We Deliver a grant to expand its Phase 1 pilot to improve the health and food security of veterans. 

Under this grant, God’s Love will double program enrollment to 1,250 veterans and 250 caregivers and children. To identify and enroll veterans, it will continue and expand referral partnerships with Veterans Affairs hospitals and veteran-serving health care and community-based organizations in New York City. Veterans will receive weekly deliveries of 10–21 meals; nutrition therapy through individualized counseling; and social supports. God’s Love will also collect, analyze, and share qualitative and clinical outcome data to make the case for expanded FIM programs for veterans, with the ultimate goal of securing Medicaid, Medicare, and Tricare reimbursement for FIM services.  

NYHealth is also supporting a complementary initiative with the Maxwell X Lab at Syracuse University. 

Luminas, LLC

Older adults are a rapidly growing population with complex health and nutritional needs. Between 2011 and 2021, New York’s older adult population increased by 31%, from 2.6 to 3.4 million, and the number of older adults from racial and ethnic minorities—groups with rates of higher food insecurity—has grown faster than the number of white older adults. Research shows that between 8% and 14% of older adults in New York are food insecure and that at least 200,000 are eligible for SNAP benefits but not enrolled. Little information is available about how older adults experience hunger and about their needs and preferences. Experts have expressed a need for better data on food-insecure older adults, especially for those not participating in food access programs (e.g., SNAP, home-delivered and congregate meals). In 2024, NYHealth awarded Luminas, LLC a grant to conduct statewide qualitative research on the needs and experiences of food-insecure older adults. 

Under this grant, Luminas will design and execute a statewide qualitative research project to understand the needs and experiences of food-insecure older adults. NYHealth will partner with Luminas to publish a report that distills findings and recommends practical program and policy actions. 

Council on the Environment, Inc. dba GrowNYC

At least 2.5 million New Yorkers face food insecurity, which disproportionately affects communities of color, immigrants, and non-English speaking populations. Many food-insecure New Yorkers with low income depend on farmers markets and farmstands—such as GrowNYC’s extensive network—for access to fresh food. But GrowNYC has experienced operational challenges, particularly related to a paper-based benefits system that has led to delays in reimbursement to farmers and administrative burdens for farmers and customers. Language barriers have also historically limited equitable participation. In 2022, NYHealth awarded GrowNYC a grant to develop a comprehensive language access plan to improve equitable access to healthy food. In 2024, NYHealth awarded GrowNYC a grant to expand access to fresh, healthy food in underserved communities by modernizing its digital systems and implementing its Phase 1 language access plan. 

Under this grant, GrowNYC will enhance the administration, accessibility, and equity of its food programs. It plans to transition from a paper-based coupon system to a fully digital platform by the end of 2026; onboard and train farmers and staff on the new platform, including providing ongoing technical support; and evaluate the platform’s effectiveness through feedback from farmers, staff, and customers to assess key metrics. To implement its language access plan, GrowNYC will embed language justice into its operations, develop multilingual resources, and host quarterly meetings for Spanish-speaking farmers. Additionally, it will translate key materials into at least five languages, provide interpretation services, and expand language access across all GrowNYC education programs. 

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