Food is Medicine Partnership Expands to Reach More Minnesotans Facing Food Insecurity

Medica's $1 million investment will help Fairview and The Good Acre build on an existing program connecting patients with nutritious, locally sourced food.

FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. - Medica today announced a $1 million investment in Fairview Health Services and The Good Acre to continue supporting Minnesotans experiencing food insecurity through collaborative Food is Medicine programs. The partnership helps ensure patients are connected with nutritious, locally sourced food.

The investment builds on more than 10 years of co-design and co-implementation with organizations across the state. The program serves approximately 700 households each week with nutritious, locally sourced foods from Minnesota farmers. The investment comes as food insecurity continues to rise at record breaking rates across Minnesota. Last year, a statewide hunger study found that 22% of Minnesota households could not afford the food they needed.

The additional funding will allow Fairview and The Good Acre to optimize the program's capacity and reach, helping connect people with nutritious food while continuing to support Minnesota's local food system.

"Food insecurity can affect a person's health long before they need medical care," said Andrew Marshall, Market President at Medica. "That's why it's important to invest in areas where we can make a meaningful difference. This investment brings together organizations with the experience and expertise to help make nutritious food more accessible to more Minnesotans."

The program connects people experiencing food insecurity with fresh, culturally relevant food sourced through The Good Acre's network of local farmers and producers.

"Access to fresh, nutritious food is essential to good health and well-being," said James Letts, M.D., Fairview Health Services. "Through Fairview's partnership with The Good Acre and Medica, we connect patients with culturally meaningful, local, healthy foods while strengthening our regional food economy."

The partnership also illustrates the opportunity to support Minnesota's local food system through intentionally designed Food is Medicine programs. The Good Acre, Minnesota's largest nonprofit food hub, works to create economic opportunities for regional farmers through grower support, market development, and community partnerships that help make local food the affordable, accessible choice.

"When we invest in Food is Medicine, the impact extends beyond the food box," said Theresa Schneider, CEO of The Good Acre. "It means connecting people with nutritious food while creating more opportunities for Minnesota farmers and producers. This investment allows us to build on a model that connects those needs and strengthens our local food system."

The organizations expanded their work together earlier this year, when Medica partnered with The Good Acre to provide patients with food boxes featuring nutritious ingredients sourced from Minnesota farmers and producers. That partnership built on Fairview's long-standing, community-informed Food is Medicine initiative.

The $1 million investment represents the next step in that work, providing additional resources to continue supporting patients experiencing food insecurity with dignified, individualized support.

"For us, this is stewardship in action," Marshall added. "As a nonprofit health company, we have a responsibility to be thoughtful about where we invest our resources and where we can make a meaningful difference. That includes working with healthcare and community partners to address needs that affect people's health and well-being, including those outside the doctor's office."

Medica announced the investment during a Food is Medicine event at The Good Acre in Falcon Heights. The announcement followed a roundtable discussion with leaders from healthcare, agriculture, government, philanthropy, nonprofits and business about the future of Food is Medicine efforts in Minnesota.