In New England, Food is the Cure
Charles Wayne Self was facing the prospect of a foot amputation when he first joined Community Servings. With diabetes, severe vascular issues that led to a quadruple bypass, and a foot ulcer, it had become clear to Self that his medications alone weren’t doing enough — even though he was on fourteen different types. He realized he’d need to make a different kind of change.
That’s when Community Servings came in. The Rockefeller Foundation grantee provides thousands of medically tailored, nutritious, homemade meals every year to chronically and critically ill individuals in Massachusetts and Rhode Island — and they do so while supporting Boston-area farms and fisheries, focusing on locally sourced foods and providing a steady market for local vendors.
That work has helped thousands of people like Self. He not only saved his foot, but also lost 50 pounds and managed to reduce his number of medications to just four.
Now Community Servings is leaning into the power of data, sharing what they are learning about the health and economic benefits of their programs, and making the case for the transformative potential of Food is Medicine interventions. Research from their AMPL Institute has been on the front lines of expanding Medicaid coverage of medically tailored meals, informing policymakers and the public, and building momentum for much-needed reform. That progress is a testament to the power of data to drive conversations and change.
Learn how Community Servings is using research to secure income for farmers, healthy food for Americans, and Food is Medicine funding nationwide.
Food prep at Community Servings
Red's Best Seafood
Food prep at Community Servings
Red's Best Seafood
The right food reduces healthcare costs and improves outcomes. It reduces hospital stays, emergency department visits, ambulance costs, and the need for skilled nursing. We’re only scratching the surface of what’s possible.