At Children’s National Hospital (CNH) in Washington, D.C., Type 2 diabetes (T2D) diagnoses rose 182 percent during the first year of the Covid pandemic, compared to the prior two years. A CNH needs assessment found that two-thirds of the 5,000 children cared for at the hospital’s Diabetes Care Complex are food insecure.
In October 2021, CNH joined BGR partner Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB) to launche a Diabetes Food Pharmacy so families could take home nutritious foods from their regular medical appointments. The Pharmacy provides access to wholesome groceries and is available to any family in the Complex who is identified as food insecure. Since its inception, the Pharmacy has reached over 920 unique patient families with fresh produce and shelf-stable groceries, and more recently has averaged 150 families monthly.
The Food Pharmacy enables children diagnosed with prediabetes or diabetes who also screen positive for food insecurity to receive a prescription for medically tailored groceries, which can be filled immediately on site. The groceries provided include both produce and shelf-stable items. Families are also provided with information about where to find additional help obtaining food, along with nutrition education materials. More than 900 children and their families will benefit.
At Children’s National Hospital (CNH) in Washington, D.C., Type 2 diabetes (T2D) diagnoses rose 182 percent during the first year of the Covid pandemic, compared to the prior two years. A CNH needs assessment found that two-thirds of the 5,000 children cared for at the hospital’s Diabetes Care Complex are food insecure.
In October 2021, CNH joined BGR partner Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB) to launche a Diabetes Food Pharmacy so families could take home nutritious foods from their regular medical appointments. The Pharmacy provides access to wholesome groceries and is available to any family in the Complex who is identified as food insecure. Since its inception, the Pharmacy has reached over 920 unique patient families with fresh produce and shelf-stable groceries, and more recently has averaged 150 families monthly.
The Food Pharmacy enables children diagnosed with prediabetes or diabetes who also screen positive for food insecurity to receive a prescription for medically tailored groceries, which can be filled immediately on site. The groceries provided include both produce and shelf-stable items. Families are also provided with information about where to find additional help obtaining food, along with nutrition education materials. More than 900 children and their families will benefit.
