Rockefeller Foundation and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Expand Access to Healthy Foods for America's Veterans

Pilot projects in Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Texas, and Utah to address high rates of food insecurity and diet-related diseases among U.S. Veterans

WASHINGTON, March 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Rockefeller Foundation announced the expansion of Food is Medicine (FIM) solutions for America's Veterans through new pilots in Maryland and New York, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Instacart, Syracuse University, the University of Utah, and 4P Foods, and in North Carolina, with Duke University and Reinvestment Partners. Announced during a Capitol Hill event co-hosted by U.S. Representative Vern Buchanan (R-FL) and Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME), the new pilots build upon existing Veterans-focused FIM programs in Utah and Texas. Across the five states, The Rockefeller Foundation aims to reach more than 2,000 Veterans, while deepening the research on innovative and scalable solutions that can reduce the high rates of food insecurity and diet-related diseases among America's Veterans.

"Both during and after my decades in the U.S. Navy, I saw firsthand the impacts of food insecurity and diet-related illness on America's Veterans," said James Stavridis, retired four-star U.S. Navy Admiral and Chair of The Rockefeller Foundation Board of Trustees. "Food is Medicine programs are an opportunity to make a significant difference in the lives of countless Veterans throughout the United States. I'm proud that The Rockefeller Foundation and the VA are continuing to expand access to healthy food to improve Veterans' mental and physical health at a lower cost."

Veterans in the United States experience chronic health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, and obesity, at disproportionately higher rates than the general population. In addition, one in four post-9/11 Veterans is food insecure and at higher risk for diet-related diseases and suicidal ideation, and an estimated 75% of returning Veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan were overweight or obese at their first visits to a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) clinic according to the NIH. The VA, which is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, provides care at more than 1,380 health care facilities to more than nine million Veterans.

Piloting FIM Solutions for America's Veterans:
FIM programs can help Veterans manage chronic conditions, improve health outcomes, and reduce health care costs by integrating nutrition into their health care plans. In 2023, The Rockefeller Foundation and the VA announced their partnership to expand Food is Medicine programs, including produce prescription programs, through VA health care facilities across the country. As part of this partnership, the first FIM pilot projects launched in Texas and Utah, which are home to more than 1.5 million U.S. Veterans.

• Texas and Utah. The Rockefeller Foundation provided grants in 2022 to About Fresh and the University of Utah to help enroll Veterans in year-long produce prescription pilots at VHA facilities in Houston, TX, and Salt Lake City, UT. Through the VA's Food Security Office and VHA, clinicians and social workers identified eligible Veterans and referred them to the program. In total, 272 Veterans in Houston and 273 Veterans in Salt Lake received prescription grocery cards worth $100 per month to purchase fruits and vegetables, and they received nutrition counseling through local VA health care facilities or the VHA's Healthy Teaching Kitchen. There were high engagement rates from participants in these year-long pilots, with more Veterans asking for the program than could be enrolled. Research conducted by the University of Utah on the impact of both pilots will be available later this year.

Based on demand and interest in FIM solutions, The Rockefeller Foundation is launching three new Veteran-focused FIM pilots in Maryland, North Carolina, and New York, which are home to more than 1.7 million Veterans. Research accompanying these new projects will examine the effectiveness of (1) FIM programs with Veterans in new geographies, including rural areas, and (2) home grocery delivery versus grocery cards. 

• Maryland. In collaboration with the VA, and with additional support from the Maryland Veterans Trust, The Rockefeller Foundation and 4P Foods will provide 250 Veterans in rural zip codes across the state with a produce box. During the 12-month program, regionally sourced fresh fruits and vegetables from small- and mid-sized farms will be delivered to Veterans' homes twice monthly. Research and evaluation will be done by the University of Utah.
  
  
• North Carolina. The Rockefeller Foundation has been investing in FIM solutions for North Carolina since 2019. In 2025, The Rockefeller Foundation and Reinvestment Partners will provide 1,000 Durham-based Veterans with monthly $100 produce prescription cards to purchase fruits and vegetables. This work builds upon previous collaborations with Reinvestment Partners, who are working to increase Veteran enrollment in their EatWell program with the local VA health care system. Research and evaluation will be done by Duke University.
  
  
• New York. In collaboration with the VA, The Rockefeller Foundation is supporting 12 months of medically tailored grocery delivery for 250 Syracuse-based Veterans. With additional support from the New York Health Foundation, this pilot, which will be implemented with support from Instacart, will provide home deliveries of perishable and nonperishable grocery items tailored to the individual's needs and valued at up to $100 per month. Research and evaluation will be done by Syracuse University.

The resulting research will assess each project's impact on participants' health, health care costs, utilization, and satisfaction. With lessons and data garnered through all five projects, The Rockefeller Foundation aims to inform the development of cost-effective FIM programs that could benefit Veterans across the VA health care system.

Statements of Support from the Event:

• "Our nation's Veterans have sacrificed so much for our country, and we must ensure they have access to the full range of care and benefits they have earned and deserve. Veterans experience higher rates of chronic illness than the general population, making it critical to explore innovative health care solutions like the 'food is medicine' approach. I'm grateful for The Rockefeller Foundation's expanded partnership with the VA to expand access to healthy food for our Veterans to improve their health outcomes at a lower cost." ― Representative Buchanan, Vice Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means Committee, who also serves as Chairman of its Health Subcommittee
  
  
• "Coming from a state with one of the highest percentages of Veterans in the U.S., I've seen firsthand the obstacles our service members face, especially when it comes to long-term health outcomes. I'm also a strong believer in Food is Medicine, and the transformative effects it can have—not just on individuals, but on whole communities. This collaboration between the Rockefeller Foundation and the VA is a true gamechanger for our country's Veterans, and an important reminder of the amazing impacts we can make when America's public and private sectors work together to tackle our most pressing challenges. I'm committed to ensuring that these programs have the resources and support from the VA that they need to reach every Veteran who could benefit." ― Representative Pingree, co-Chair of the bipartisan Food is Medicine Working Group
  
  
• "America's Veterans are on the frontlines of the fight against food and nutrition insecurity. They deserve all the solutions and support—including Food is Medicine programs—they need. As these pilot projects make clear, FIM programs work and save money. More Veterans and more Americans should have access to the same benefits." ― Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation
  
  
• "We are really excited that The Rockefeller Foundation has chosen to expand the pilot and our relationship, and excited about the three expansion projects. Our goal is to take the food insecure Veteran, make them food secure, and with the goal of them becoming nutrition secure. We see this as a continuum. It's not just about getting enough food – it's about getting the right food to lead a healthy life. We do this as a collaborative team." — Christine Going, Senior Advisor, Food Security Office at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

The Rockefeller Foundation announced an investment of $80 million over five years in January 2024 to expand FIM programs in the United States. Increasing its total FIM commitment to more than $100 million since 2019, The Rockefeller Foundation's goal is to improve health in the United States, where diet-related diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease are principal drivers of death, disability, and high health care costs. As part of this commitment, The Rockefeller Foundation announced $3.5 million in grant funding last month to support small and mid-scale U.S. farmers,  improve health outcomes for people with chronic disease, mitigate rising health care costs in California, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., and advance state-based efforts to include FIM interventions as a medically covered benefit under Medicaid programs.

About The Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on collaborative partnerships at the frontiers of science, technology, and innovation that enable individuals, families, and communities to flourish. We make big bets to promote the well-being of humanity. Today, we are focused on advancing human opportunity and reversing the climate crisis by transforming systems in food, health, energy, and finance. For more information, sign up for our newsletter at www.rockefellerfoundation.org/subscribe and follow us on X @RockefellerFdn and LI @the-rockefeller-foundation.

SOURCE The Rockefeller Foundation