“Food as Medicine” Project Helps Locals in Need

SARATOGA SPRINGS — In the wake of federal funding cuts for food and hunger relief programs, Pitney Meadows Community Farm and the Saratoga Hospital Community of Excellence have received funding from international nonprofit Health Care Without Harm for a Food as Medicine pilot program in Saratoga County.

The program, designed to strengthen the local food system while improving health outcomes, will provide enhanced Food as Medicine produce boxes to residents of three housing communities in need: the Stonequist Apartments in Saratoga Springs, the Intrada Apartments in Saratoga Springs, and the Riverview Apartments in Corinth.

Each participant will receive biweekly deliveries of locally grown, nutrient-dense food, along with educational materials on healthy eating and meal preparation. These deliveries will feature a diverse array of seasonal produce, grains, legumes, and other farm products, purchased directly from Pitney Meadows and a network of other local farms. 

The Saratoga Hospital Food as Medicine Community of Excellence Workgroup, led by Pitney Meadows, spearheaded the development of this pilot. The workgroup convenes healthcare providers, community organizations, and food producers to help ensure the program effectively meets local health and nutrition needs. 

“This project not only increases access to fresh, healthy food but also sets a model for how communities can sustain these initiatives long-term,” said Dr. Renee Rodriguez, a Saratoga Hospital Community of Excellence representative, in a news release. “By gathering data on health outcomes and program impact, we aim to make this a replicable solution for communities nationwide.”

“As federal funding for hunger relief and small farms declines, initiatives like this become even more vital,” said Daniel Williams, assistant farm manager of Food Sovereignty Programs. “Pitney Meadows and our partners are working to ensure Food as Medicine programs remain viable and sustainable through innovative partnerships and local investments.” 

According to a recent report by ABC News, food bank managers across the country have said that their supplies, which were already strained by post-pandemic rising demand, have been worsened by recent cuts in federal funding to food distribution programs. In March, the U.S. Department of Agriculture cut $500 million from the Emergency Food Assistance Program, which buys food from domestic producers and sends it to pantries nationwide.

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