Fighting Food Insecurity: Why Healthy Eating Should Be a Priority

In late 2024, a significant bill was introduced in Congress by Illinois representative Robin Kelly. The Fueling Optimal Outcomes through Diet (FOOD) for Health Act aims to boost access to healthy food and reduce healthcare costs. This bill allocates $20 million to support Food is Medicine programs, which focus on nutrition to counteract negative health outcomes. As someone dedicated to ending food insecurity, it was crucial to support this legislation. Shortly after this announcement, I was invited to join Tufts University's Food is Medicine Institute Advisory Council. Working alongside colleagues passionate about solving food insecurity, we'll advance solutions in healthcare, policy, and research. This bill could back initiatives like ours. For many Americans, particularly in underserved communities, nutritious food is scarce and pricy, while unhealthy, processed food is cheap and accessible. Diet-related illnesses cost the U. S. $1. 1 trillion annually in healthcare expenses—equivalent to all U. S. households' food spending in 2023. I experienced this firsthand growing up on Chicago’s South Side, where food bank visits were common. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, long food bank lines made me realize something needed to change. I founded Dion's Chicago Dream, starting with a Dream Fridge in my old neighborhood, Englewood, stocked daily with fresh food.In 2021, we launched Dream Deliveries, providing weekly fresh fruits and vegetables to households. Later, we introduced Dream Vaults, similar to Amazon lockers but for produce. Now, monthly, we deliver over 130, 000 pounds of fruits and vegetables to 20, 000 recipients in 4, 200 households. But the need persists. In Chicago, one in five households with children faces food insecurity. Nationally, 47 million people lack access to affordable, nutritious food. Higher rates are found among Black and Latino households, single-mother-led homes, and those below the poverty line. Recipients share that consistent access to fresh produce improves their physical and mental health. This proves the Food is Medicine movement's core belief: nutritious food is crucial for good health. Our partnership with FoodSmart and Cook County's Medicaid plan delivers fruits and vegetables to members with health issues like high blood pressure and diabetes. By 2025, we aim to serve 4, 500 patients weekly. The Food is Medicine movement is gaining traction. At the Tufts Food is Medicine National Summit, stories from various states showed the impact. A doctor in California reported a patient who no longer needed insulin or blood pressure meds after receiving medically tailored meals for a few months. The momentum behind the Food is Medicine movement is strong. Hopefully, the FOOD for Health Act will pass, providing more people with access to fresh, healthy food and reducing emergency health costs.