TRANSORMING HEALTH OUTCOMES ONE BITE AT A TIME:
ADVANCING FOOD AS MEDICINE ACROSS LOUISIANA

Daphne Briggs-Clark, Vice President of Health Impact at Feeding America, and Lauran Larson, Senior Manager of Food and Health at Hunger Free Oklahoma, will anchor the upcoming Food Is Medicine virtual convening. Briggs-Clark will bring a national perspective on scaling healthcare-nutrition partnerships, while Larson will share valuable peer-state insights on building effective regional frameworks.

Co-hosted by Feeding Louisiana and the LSU AgCenter, this virtual gathering convenes leaders across healthcare, academia, agriculture, public health, philanthropy, and community development to shape the future of nutrition-based care across the state.

Key Focus Areas for the Convening

  • Strategic Updates: Explore current statewide Food Is Medicine initiatives and emerging opportunities.

  • National & Regional Insights: Learn directly from national leadership and peer-state practitioners.

  • Priorities in Action: Revisit key themes established during the June gathering to track progress.

  • Collaborative Planning: Participate in working sessions to refine next steps tailored to Louisiana’s distinct needs.

Building a Statewide Framework for Care

This momentum builds on a two-year, $437,500 Food and Health Business Model grant awarded to Feeding Louisiana by Feeding America, supported by CVS Health. The funding enables Feeding Louisiana to partner with the state's five regional food banks, managed care organizations, and clinical providers to construct a coordinated model connecting nutritious food directly with healthcare referrals.

For individuals managing conditions like diabetes, hypertension, or pregnancy-related health risks, food access is integral to treatment. The initiative treats food as a bridge to improved clinical outcomes and reduced healthcare costs through:

  • Tailored Access: Medically tailored groceries, food prescriptions, and flexible fulfillment options like home delivery or local pickup.

  • Connected Systems: Standardized referral mechanisms alongside robust data tracking and clinical reporting.

  • Community Flexibility: Uniform statewide standards balanced with local adaptivity to address rural transportation and food access gaps.

“This grant gives Feeding Louisiana the opportunity to move Food as Medicine from an idea to an actionable statewide model,” says Pat Van Burkleo, Executive Director of Feeding Louisiana. “Our food banks already serve neighbors in every region of the state. By connecting that reach with healthcare partners, we can better support people where they live, work, and seek care.”

Together, healthcare providers, food banks, and community partners are working toward a system where nutritious food is integrated into the foundation of healthcare, dignity, and long-term opportunity across Louisiana.