NourishedRx's North Carolina Model Provides a Scalable Blueprint for States Integrating 'Food is Health' into Rural Health Transformation

STAMFORD, Conn., Feb. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- NourishedRx today announced that its integrated "Food is Health" platform in North Carolina has established a proven, scalable model for states aiming to link healthcare delivery with local food systems to combat diet-related disease and strengthen rural health outcomes. As various states, including Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, Kansas, Arkansas, Colorado, and North Carolina, explore integrating Food is Medicine initiatives into their rural health strategies – a move spurred by the Trump administration's Rural Health Transformation Program – the NourishedRx program serves as a model. It demonstrates a coordinated infrastructure for operationalizing the integration of clinical nutrition care, community-based food access, and support for regional agriculture.

The dangers of ultra-processed food and diet-related disease are rapidly gaining national attention, as highlighted by a recent 60 Minutes episode. With diet-related disease continuing to drive healthcare costs and poor health outcomes—particularly in rural communities—state leaders are advancing strategies that address both population health and local economic resilience. NourishedRx's implementation in North Carolina demonstrates how technology-enabled coordination, clinical nutrition care, and local sourcing networks can support these dual goals. These efforts are also very much in line with Secretary Kennedy's priorities for Health and Human Services for addressing the root causes of chronic disease.

Since 2023, NourishedRx has partnered with regional health plans to deliver integrated Food is Health programs across North Carolina. The platform uses time-limited, therapeutic interventions—healthy food coupled with registered-dietitian-led care—to help participants manage chronic disease, and drive meaningful, sustained dietary and lifestyle behavior change. NourishedRx now supports participants in all 100 North Carolina counties. Across these initiatives, participants have experienced measurable improvements in nutrition security, health outcomes, and independent living. These programs have also demonstrated a reduction in long-term healthcare utilization and costs, validating the investment in Food is Health.

NourishedRx recently launched Nourishing Wake, a partnership with Wake County and Farmer Foodshare that connects residents with nutritious, locally sourced food through coordinated referrals from healthcare and community-based organizations, including Advance Community Health, Urban Ministries of Wake County, WakeMed, Duke Health, UNC Health, and Catholic Charities. The initiative supports residents experiencing or at risk of diet-related disease while directing food purchasing to local farmers, and strengthening the regional agricultural economy.

NourishedRx's broader North Carolina ecosystem includes partnerships with community organizations such as Men and Women United for Youth & Families, RAMS Kitchen, Nourish Up, Biggers Market, Good Bowls, Caja Solidaria, and Freshlist. In 2025 alone, NourishedRx sourced and delivered more than 75,000 servings of food from over 140 North Carolina farmers and food producers—investing more than $250,000 back into the state's agricultural economy.

"States are looking for models that can move from policy to implementation," said Lauren Driscoll, founder and CEO of NourishedRx. "Our work in North Carolina shows that with the right infrastructure, partnerships, and clinical integration, local food systems can be fully connected to healthcare delivery in ways that dramatically improve health, support rural providers and community organizations, and strengthen agricultural economies."

About NourishedRx
NourishedRx is a technology-enabled Food is Health platform that helps health plans, providers, and public sector partners address diet-related chronic disease. Through registered-dietitian-led care, time-limited nutrition and lifestyle interventions, and integrated food access, NourishedRx supports meaningful, sustained dietary and lifestyle behavior change while delivering measurable improvements in health outcomes and total cost of care.

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Eva Bandola Berg, S2R
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SOURCE NourishedRx