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New pilot delivers weekly produce and grocery boxes with dietitian-reviewed recipe cards and nutrition education materials to adults 55 and older
Feeding San Diego, the leading hunger-relief and food rescue organization in San Diego County, and TrueCare, a nonprofit community health center, have launched a six-month Food is Medicine pilot to deliver weekly produce and grocery boxes to eligible older adults in San Marcos. The pilot began Monday, Aug. 3, and will serve 100 San Marcos residents 55 and older who are referred by TrueCare providers based on medical criteria, including adults managing conditions such as hypertension or diabetes. The goal is to help treat and prevent diet-related chronic diseases by increasing access to and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables.
“TrueCare is a longtime partner of Feeding San Diego, and we share the belief that everyone deserves access to nutritious food,” said TrueCare President and CEO Michelle D. Gonzalez, MPA. “For older adults managing chronic conditions, consistent access to nutritious food can be an important part of staying healthy. Through this pilot, we are helping reduce barriers by connecting clinical care with healthy food delivered directly to patients’ homes.”
Participants will receive an estimated 12 pounds of grocery items and 16 pounds of produce each week. Produce offerings will vary based on season and availability. Grocery items may include canned proteins, peanut butter, milk, yogurt, lentils, beans, pasta, oats and grains.
Participants also will receive recipe cards and nutrition education materials to help them use the produce and grocery items in balanced meals, and will be meeting monthly with a TrueCare Registered Dietitian to follow up on their progress.
“Feeding San Diego’s Food is Medicine pilot program is an important step in showing the role food can play in health outcomes,” said Feeding San Diego CEO Bob Kamensky. “Our organization has the logistical expertise to purchase, pack and deliver food throughout the county, and partnerships with health care providers help ensure food reaches community members with specific health needs. Home delivery helps remove barriers for people who may not be able to attend a food distribution, and volunteers will be critical to getting nutritious food directly into the hands of older adults who need it most.”
Feeding San Diego is seeking volunteers to help package produce boxes at its distribution center in Sorrento Valley. Volunteers are also needed to deliver food to homes each week. Anyone interested in donating their time is encouraged to visit Feeding San Diego’s website and click on the volunteer page to learn more.
Feeding San Diego and TrueCare have partnered for more than a decade to improve food security in North County. TrueCare operates two Feeding San Diego mobile pantries, one in Oceanside and one in San Marcos, with volunteers and staff supporting food distributions. Together, the two sites serve 1,348 households each month. TrueCare also receives food from Feeding San Diego to offer emergency food assistance to patients at its health centers when staff identify a need.
The Food is Medicine pilot will run through Feb. 1, 2027. TrueCare will evaluate aggregate, de-identified program outcomes to help assess the pilot’s impact and inform opportunities for potential expansion with Feeding San Diego and other health care partners.
About TrueCare
For over 50 years, TrueCare has remained steadfast in its commitment to patients, their families, and its communities. As a nonprofit community health center, TrueCare is dedicated to delivering a superior and compassionate health care experience to nearly 70,000 patients every year, reducing barriers and increasing accessibility to quality care. TrueCare serves its communities in San Diego and Riverside Counties through its 27 health centers and WIC offices, providing primary care, pediatric, women’s health, behavioral health, dental, chiropractic, acupuncture, podiatry, and cardiology services to everyone, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay. In addition, TrueCare offers many other support services such as mobile services, transportation to clinic appointments, insurance enrollment assistance, weekly food distributions, and nutrition programs. For more information, please visit truecare.org.
About Feeding San Diego
Feeding San Diego is a nonprofit organization on a mission to connect every person facing hunger with nutritious meals by maximizing food rescue. Established in 2007, Feeding San Diego rescues surplus food from local and national food donors before it goes to waste and gets it to people facing hunger in San Diego County. It is the only Feeding America partner food bank in the region. Last year, the hunger-relief organization provided more than 31 million meals to children, families, seniors, college students, military families, and veterans in partnership with a network of more than 350 local charities, schools, colleges, faith communities, health care providers, and meal sites. It operates a multitude of hunger-relief and food programs countywide that support people facing hunger with food assistance or resources. Last year, 90% of the food distributed by Feeding San Diego was rescued, allowing high-quality food to be redirected instead of going to waste. By diverting more than 32.6 million pounds of food from the landfill each year and using it to feed people facing hunger, Feeding San Diego helps avert 28,986 metric tons of CO2 from being emitted, protecting people and the planet. Every $1 donated helps provide two meals to people facing hunger. To get involved with Feeding San Diego and learn more about its mission, visit feedingsandiego.org. Get daily updates on social media by following us on Instagram @feedingsandiego.
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