Nutrition and Health Updates - Project FoodBox

Investing in Food Is Medicine in Washington State

Written by Admin | Feb 5, 2026 7:56:38 PM

Washington’s hunger crisis is growing, with more than one million residents – including one in six children – experiencing food scarcity, making sustained investment in equitable food access an urgent public health priority. This article highlights how Kaiser Permanente is responding by pairing more than 3 million dollars in food security grants and large-scale volunteer engagement with school- and community-based partnerships that move healthy food directly into families’ daily lives. Through support for major food banks, innovative school resource centers, and culturally rooted collaborations with Indigenous communities, Kaiser Permanente is helping to build a more resilient, dignity-centered food system across Washington. The piece also explores the organization’s Food Is Medicine Center for Excellence, which integrates medically tailored meals, produce prescriptions, and nutrition support into healthcare delivery to address diet-related chronic disease alongside food and nutrition insecurity. Together, these efforts illustrate a scalable model for aligning healthcare, education, and community organizations to advance food, health, and well-being for Washington communities.

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