In Philly and the Pa. suburbs, down to South Jersey and Delaware, the question remains: what topics should WHYY News prioritize? Let us know your thoughts! The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has taken a significant step in keeping children healthy with a pilot program that extends beyond medical care. It delivers groceries and meals to patients and their families facing food insecurity.

Impact on Patient Health

In the United States, a concerning statistic emerges - more than 10% of families with children struggle to obtain enough food, as per 2022 data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. At CHOP, a 2019 survey showed that around one in five families of their patients deal with food insecurity. This, as Dr. Aditi Vasan, a pediatrician and researcher at CHOP, emphasizes, has a direct impact on patients' health. It goes beyond what happens within the hospital walls.When a patient stays at CHOP for treatment and faces food access issues, upon discharge, they have the option to receive a week's worth of prepared meals, six months of produce, or both. This program, as Vasan explains, is a meaningful way to continue supporting families even after they leave the hospital. It's not a new initiative for the hospital. Staff already direct families to resources like food vouchers or help them enroll in community and government programs. A few years ago, an on-site food pharmacy was set up, and now the new program takes it a step further by bringing food to the patients' homes.

Patient and Family Perspectives

Sophia Wallace, a mother of five, shares her experience. Her 6-year-old son Kamau was treated for asthma and left the hospital a year ago. Wallace, a rideshare driver relying on government benefits, finds it insufficient to cover the monthly food costs for her growing children. The food program at CHOP was a great help. She didn't have to worry about running out of food as she knew it was coming. Her children also liked the meals as they could choose from a menu. After the program ended, she kept the food containers and menu ideas to start planning meals in advance.This sentiment is echoed by other families. The researchers at CHOP found that the families who participated in the program were satisfied. Their findings were recently published in the journal Pediatrics. With a corporate grant, the pilot started, and now they are looking for internal and external grants as well as government programs to sustain it in the long run.

Similar Initiatives and Importance

Pediatrician and researcher Dr. Zoe Bouchelle, who was part of the research but is now at Denver Health, notes that other hospitals are also considering similar approaches. Statistics show that many children's hospitals screen their patients for food insecurity. Bouchelle emphasizes the need for a multi-pronged and multi-level approach across hospitals, communities, states, and the nation. It's unacceptable for children not to have access to the food they need.Dr. Laurie Banach, a pediatrician at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., agrees. Her hospital started a food pharmacy program two years ago. She highlights that the recent study's authors took it a step further by delivering food to families, eliminating an additional barrier and stigma. Doctors treating children see firsthand how food access affects their health, motivating them to get involved.As a nonprofit organization, WHYY relies on financial support from readers. Please consider giving today to support our fact-based, in-depth journalism.