RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Two Richmond agencies are teaming up to bring healthy food to those in need.
CareMore Health and Feed More brought the national “Food as Medicine” movement, a series of programs that promote healthy food and nutrition, to Richmond through a “mobile pantry” on Wednesday, Nov. 2.
Organizers from both groups gathered at the CareMore Care Center on Jahnke Road on Wednesday morning to stress the importance of healthy eating as part of a “whole-health” approach to care.
Organizers of Feed More and CareMore agreed that the overall health and wellness of individuals start with what they put in their body. On Wednesday, the organizers introduced a new program to the community to drive that point home.
“We’re calling it ‘food as medicine,’ right? So what you put in your body is what makes you feel better,” said Prudence Coleman, the regional clinical operations manager for Caremore in Richmond.
According to the event’s organizers, evidence suggests that Food as Medicine programs yield positive outcomes for clients, include better overall health and sense of self-worth, improved self-efficacy, positive emotional changes, better management of chronic disease and even a decrease in the number of people being admitted to hospitals.
At Wednesday’s event, Feed More had 200 boxes of healthy food to give away on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Richmonders experiencing food insecurity were also asked to complete a short questionnaire at the event. Those who did, like Tina Finney, expressed their appreciation for the help.
“At the end of the day we all need some food, so I don’t care who gives it to me, I just like to receive it,” Finney said.
Each giveaway box included a healthy selection of fresh produce, protein and pantry items.
“This food — all of it is nutritionous, especially the vegetables, potatoes, salads, cauliflower, things like that people use at home to cook their meals with, so that’s very important” said Thomas Junior, another Richmonder who attended the event.
While this was the first giveaway of its kind hosted by Feed More, organizers said it won’t be the last.
Residents like Junior said what really matters at a time when food costs are on the rise is that people support each other.
“I think with all the inflation, with things going up now, it’s important, you know, for people to come out that are able to help others — that’s what important to me,” Junior said.
To continue supporting Richmond residents in need, donations of nonperishable food items will be accepted through Nov. 18 at both the Jahnke Road and Brook Road CareMore Care Centers.
