Partners in Health: Community Food Programs and Hospital Partnerships in New York

Heart disease, diabetes, and obesity are among the serious conditions that can result from a poor diet. Creating healthy food environments is vital to preventing these serious conditions and promoting the well-being of our communities.

Hospitals and community-based organizations play a critical part in promoting food environments that support healthy eating. This is why, on May 15, 2017 from 10 am – 4 pm, the New York Academy of Medicine, in partnership with the Community Food Funders, hosted the Partners in Health: Community Food Programs and Hospital Partnerships in New York convening. This event created a place for CBOs working to improve the food system and hospital/health system leaders across New York State to come together, share information, and explore potential partnerships.

It is our hope that by bringing hospital/health system leaders and community-based organizations together, we can help foster potential partnerships that will promote greater access to healthy food across our state’s communities.

The convening included a keynote speech on The Good Food Purchasing Policy: A Holistic Approach to Food as a Determinant of Health by Paula Daniels, J.D., co-founder and Chair of the Center for Good Food Purchasing. There were also panels on the following topics:

Health Care: What value can CBOs bring to population health?

Food: How and why to partner with a hospital?

Hospital-CBO Partnerships that address food and nutrition

Following our panelists, the convening participants gathered together in small group breakout sessions around topics like emergency food, local procurement, and hospital food environment.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us on May 15, 2017 for this important work!