When the Cleveland Clinic describes its “food as medicine” initiatives, it signals a broader movement reshaping the connection between nutrition and healthcare. The premise is straightforward but powerful: improving access to nutritious food can be one of the most effective ways to improve population health.
That same belief drives Project FoodBox, where we strive to connect the nation’s agricultural abundance to residents who need it most. Though the two organizations operate in different contexts — one within healthcare, the other within local food systems — they share a common principle: food is infrastructure for community well-being.
1. Making Food a Central Health Strategy
The Cleveland Clinic’s programs go beyond traditional nutrition education. They integrate healthy food access directly into healthcare delivery — supporting local food initiatives, partnering with retailers, and using the organization’s influence to attract better food options in underserved areas. The goal: improve public health by rebuilding local food ecosystems.
Project FoodBox was founded on a similar understanding that food security and health are deeply interconnected. By ensuring that California-grown produce reaches families experiencing food insecurity, the organization helps strengthen the link between agriculture and community wellness.
Shared insight: when nutritious food becomes part of the infrastructure of health — rather than an afterthought — it fosters resilience and long-term well-being.
2. Partnering Within the Community
Cleveland Clinic’s “anchor institution” approach leverages its reach to build partnerships across the community — from educators to local retailers. It recognizes that sustainable change happens when institutions collaborate rather than act in isolation.
Project FoodBox likewise operates through collaboration. Its work depends on partnerships with farmers, distributors, and community organizations that ensure local produce is distributed efficiently and equitably. While one operates within healthcare and the other within food systems, both illustrate that meaningful change stems from coordinated, community-led action.
Shared insight: community health requires collective effort — connecting local assets, public programs, and shared purpose.
For more information, check out this blog and podcast from the American Hospital Association's interview with the Cleveland Clinic's Vickie Johnson
3. Elevating Nutrition from Access to Measurable Impact
One of Cleveland Clinic’s most notable contributions is how it measures the outcomes of food access programs. By tracking how improved nutrition affects key health indicators, it redefines food as a legitimate component of medical care.
Project FoodBox’s model contributes to this same national shift — where food distribution and health equity intersect. Its focus on consistent access to fresh, local produce aligns with a growing recognition that food quality, availability, and affordability all shape public health outcomes.
Shared insight: the future of food programs lies in measurable impact — understanding how nutrition and access translate into healthier communities.
4. A Converging Vision for Health and Food Systems
Cleveland Clinic’s efforts inside and outside its hospitals and Project FoodBox’s work within communities are two expressions of the same idea: food is a foundation for health. Both efforts emphasize that the path to better outcomes begins long before clinical intervention — in grocery aisles, school cafeterias, and home kitchens.
Shared vision: hospitals and local organizations can play complementary roles in advancing health equity — by ensuring that good food is accessible, affordable, and integrated into daily life.
Closing Thought
As healthcare systems and community programs embrace the food-as-medicine movement, the national conversation is shifting from feeding people to nourishing health. The Cleveland Clinic shows what’s possible when a hospital system takes that mission seriously. Project FoodBox demonstrates how it can thrive at the local level — turning California’s agricultural abundance into community strength.
Get Food in Your Healthcare Conversation
Project FoodBox shares the Cleveland Clinic’s belief that food can and should be part of the healthcare conversation. By supporting our work, you help strengthen the connection between California’s farms and the families who rely on them — turning fresh, local produce into a foundation for better health.
When we treat food as medicine, we empower communities to take ownership of their well-being. Every box of produce, every shared meal, and every moment of education moves us closer to a future where nourishment and health equity go hand in hand.
Join us in making that future possible. It starts with your own health, so see if you qualify for the Project FoodBox medically tailored food programs. If not, whether by donating, volunteering, or spreading the word, your support fuels a movement that’s redefining how communities thrive — one harvest at a time.