Nourishing You, Naturally
Food As Medicine (FAM)
A Pilot Program Advancing Health Through Food Access to Pregnant Individuals and New Families in the Greater Coatesville Area
What is Food As Medicine (FAM)?
The Food As Medicine (FAM) program was an innovative pilot led by The Alliance for Health Equity and funded by the Jewish Healthcare Foundation. Designed to improve health outcomes for pregnant individuals and families in Greater Coatesville, the program combined nutritious food access with personalized nutrition education and community-based support.
While the pilot concluded in March 2026, its impact continues to inform how we address food access and health equity across the community.
How it Worked
For Participants
Participants were referred by healthcare providers and enrolled in a 12-week program that included:
- Healthy food access through Instacart, with groceries delivered directly to participants’ doors
- Nutrition counseling from registered dietitians
- Support from community health workers
- Cooking tools and resources to encourage meal preparation at home
By removing barriers such as transportation and cost, the program made healthy living more accessible and sustainable for families.
Program Reach
Participants Enrolled
Participants Completed Program
Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) sessions conducted
Cooking Utensil Kits Distributed
Program Impact
Through a combination of access, education, and support, participants experienced meaningful improvements:
- 33% showed measurable improvement by their second nutrition visit
- Increased vegetable and fish consumption
- Improved nutrition knowledge and label-reading skills
- Greater confidence in preparing healthy, balanced meals
- Healthier food choices as access barriers were reduced
Participants did more than receive food, they built the skills and confidence needed to support lasting behavior change.
Why It Mattered
At the start of the program, the need was clear:
- 95% of participants identified as food insecure
- 79% severely food insecure
- 21% moderately food insecure
- 15% of participants were identified as malnourished during their first nutrition visit
From The Participants
Quite great and really informative, really educated me on healthier balanced meals.
Through the registered dietitian, I learned which healthy foods I should eat for my own health and help with low iron levels.
Amazing upgrade, it taught me more. Like how to eat naturally and it kept my sugars really low. My dietitian was amazed. I really enjoyed the program and learned a lot. The crockpot will really help a lot.
More Than a Meal
Food as Medicine is about more than just delivering healthy food to your doorstep — it’s about empowering you and your family with the tools and knowledge to thrive. When you participate in the program, you’ll also receive guidance on food storage and shelf life, simple yet healthy recipes, and tips for meal prep and planning.
Healthy Food Corner
Check out the links below to learn how healthy eating and simple recipes can help manage common health issues.
Thank you to our Referral Partners
These were the organizations who helped refer the FAM participants
“Food as Medicine is a reaffirmation that food and nutrition play a role in sustaining health, preventing disease, and as a therapy for those with conditions or in situation responsive to changes in their diet.” - Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics.
