Epicured Partners with Staten Island Performing Provider System and Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health to Launch New "Fair Start" Initiative

Using Targeted Nutrition Intervention to Advance Health Equity

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y., Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Epicured Inc., a leading food-is-medicine healthcare company committed to combating and preventing chronic disease, has partnered with Staten Island Performing Provider System (SI PPS) and Professor Heather Butts of the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, to launch "Fair Start" – a new initiative aimed at demonstrating how access to healthy food, regular primary care, public health resources, and exercise can significantly improve health outcomes and promote overall well-being.

Increasing the access, affordability, availability, and consumption of healthy foods is fundamental to health equity. Food-focused health interventions, often referred to as 'Food is Medicine', have emerged as essential components of public health initiatives and healthcare delivery systems. Successful incorporation of these interventions requires alignment with social determinants of health (SDOH) as well as health-related social needs (HRSN). SI PPS and Columbia are harnessing the expertise of Epicured to address the complex interplay between diet, health, and social determinants in designing and delivering meals for these underserved and vulnerable populations.

"I cannot think of a better partner than Epicured to prepare upwards of 18,000 meals over the course of this initiative. Their attention to detail and nutrition packed, culturally sensitive menu addresses a myriad of personal dietary needs for the community members," says Joseph Conte, director of SI PPS.

"Fair Start" is reaching a broad and diversified population, including veterans and active-duty military personnel, NYCHA residents, Medicaid recipients, and college students. Taking note of Epicured's production capabilities and seamless logistic infrastructure, Professor Butts said, "I am impressed with Epicured's ability to flex its logistics muscle on the fly while delivering fresh, ready-to-eat meals using best-in-class ingredients. This community is overwhelmed with both the quality and variety of the meals." One participant was so excited on the first day of pickup they exclaimed ''I'm gonna eat this lasagna for breakfast, I'm so excited."

Epicured CEO Richard Bennett is thrilled to integrate his company and team into such an inspiring initiative. "Epicured's mission of Food is Medicine is clearly aligned with the goal of bringing first-class nutrition solutions to fellow Americans living in food insecure circumstances. Everyone deserves access to real food, made with real ingredients, designed to ensure healthy outcomes for individuals of all walks of life. I couldn't be prouder of our team," Bennett said. "This initiative will enable us to learn how to effectively deliver food to the Staten Island community and to low income and underserved neighborhoods across the United States. We are honored to be a part of Fair Start and are hoping to gain insight into best practices to make a valuable and effective difference in decreasing health disparities in New York and beyond."

Contact Information:
Alexandra Weil, Epicured, [email protected]

About Epicured Inc.
Epicured was founded in 2016 with a mission to redefine healthcare and its relationship with food and nutritional solutions. It is the leading Food is Medicine healthcare organization providing solutions for nutritional intervention, food inequity, and medically-tailored diets. Epicured focuses on translating social and scientific research into high-quality, accessible nutritional solutions.

About Staten Island Performing Provider System (SI PPS)
In 2014, Staten Island Performing Provider System (SI PPS) formed an integrated network of medical, behavioral, and social services agencies under the New York State Department of Health Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment Program (DSRIP). Our founding goals included improving the quality of care, reducing costs and improving health outcomes for Staten Island's Medicaid and uninsured populations. By the end of the DSRIP Program, we exceeded our goals and maintained our network to continue enhancing and refining the transformative work built in the Staten Island Community.

Today, we continue to work with our partners to improve population health outcomes, address health related social needs, grow our network and reduce health disparities. We are dedicated to improving health equity by holding conversations with our community, creating educational and workforce opportunities for youth, and bridging connections with non-traditional service providers to meet people where they are in the community.

About Columbia Mailman School of Public Health
Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health is the public health graduate school of Columbia University. Located on the Columbia University Irving Medical Center campus in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, the school is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health

SOURCE Epicured Inc.