Ascension Seton launches new program to alleviate food insecurity

Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin is excited to announce a new program to alleviate food insecurity, improve health outcomes, and promote equitable access to nutrient rich food to families with newborns at the hospital. The Food is the Best Medicine program is a collaboration with Ascension Seton, Farmshare Austin (Farmshare), The Cook's Nook (TCN), and the Michael and Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in Austin (UTHealth Houston).

According to Feeding Texas, approximately 1 in 8 Texans experience food insecurity. Food is the Best Medicine was established by the Ascension Texas Council on Racial and Health Equity in response to the alarming rate of severe maternal morbidity cases and maternal deaths which are exacerbated by the barriers to healthy food access experienced by marginalized populations. The goal of the Food is the Best Medicine program is to decrease food insecurity, increase healthy eating and increase positive health outcomes for people who have recently given birth at Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin.

“Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin and our community partners are thrilled to expand this innovative program to birthing parents and families in Central Texas,” said Elizabeth Polinard, co-founder and supervisor of the Food is the Best Medicine program. “We recognize the value of inclusive, dignified access to healthy food for vulnerable communities, particularly as it relates to improving overall health for new parents.”

Access to healthy food for vulnerable communities

During the critical 8-week postpartum period, parents and their families who are eligible for the Food is the Best Medicine program will receive the equivalent of 120 nutritious meals and fresh foods to aid maternal healing and reduce the physiological, emotional, and mental effects of stress caused by food insecurity.

Food provisions include a combination of fully cooked and prepared meals; prepped fruit, vegetables and grain-forward meal kits; and a produce and pantry staples box. TCN’s meals and meal kits are convenient, culturally relevant and align with the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Farmshare’s produce and pantry staples boxes are farmers’ market quality produce, which postpartum patients can customize each week to meet their needs and preferences. Weekly food provisions are delivered directly to a family's home, helping to address problems related to transportation access or fuel affordability.

"The Cook's Nook focuses on providing prepared meals and nutrition that directly impacts healthcare outcomes, particularly for those in communities that experience health inequity,” said Joi Chevalier, Founder and CEO, The Cook’s Nook. “We're delighted to develop this program with our partners and bring quality meals, and cut vegetable and grain dishes for families during the crucial postpartum period. Food is the best medicine, and we're delighted to increase healthy and personalized nutrition access to the moms and households through this program."

"Farmshare's food access work focuses on decreasing barriers to fresh, nutrient-dense produce and grocery items for our most vulnerable communities,” said Andrea Abel, executive director of Farmshare Austin. “We are grateful for the opportunity to work with our partners to provide high quality, flavorful and nutritious food to feed birthing parents who are experiencing food insecurity during the vital first eight weeks postpartum. We believe healthy food access can increase the health of families enrolled in this program."

Food is the Best Medicine is entirely funded through donations and grants given to the Ascension Seton Foundation.

“This program is for the community, funded by the community. We are incredibly grateful for the philanthropic support we’ve received so far, which aligns with our mission to provide care for those who are experiencing poverty and vulnerability,” said Joel Rice, executive director of the Foundation.

Measuring impact

People who participate in the program will also be included in an evaluation study led by UTHealth Houston to measure the program’s impact. All birthing patients are assessed for food insecurity upon admission to Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin. People who identify as food insecure are eligible to enroll in the evaluation study. UTHealth Houston will collect outcome measures during, and upon completion of the 8-week program.

“Although it is reasonable to expect that the Food is the Best Medicine program will help food insecure mothers and their babies, collecting data using a rigorous evaluation protocol will allow us to determine statistically the ways in which the program can help alleviate food insecurity and improve diet and health outcomes among mothers and the infants,” said Alexandra van den Berg, professor in Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences at UTHealth Houston. “A formal evaluation of the program should help us understand feasibility and accessibility of different components, which in turn can inform the design of future iterations of the program. Impact evaluation will help us identify which diet and health outcomes see the most change as the result of the intervention. Again, this kind of understanding will let us know if we need to supplement FBM with additional components targeting specific outcomes.”

Birthing people who choose not to participate in the 8-week program, yet still need assistance, receive a $100 grocery store gift card and healthy eating educational materials upon discharge from the hospital.