Rep. Kelly and Rep. Latimer Introduce Food Access in Community Health Centers Act of 2026

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Congresswoman Robin Kelly (D-IL) and U.S. Congressman George Latimer (D-NY) introduced the Food Access in Community Health Centers Act of 2026, a bill to create and expand partnerships between community health centers and emergency feeding operations to provide access to food at these centers.

In the face of unprecedented cuts to SNAP and Medicaid, emergency feeding operations and community health centers have provided critical support to countless Americans. Partnerships between community health centers and emergency feeding operations have enabled underserved populations to reduce food insecurity. It is well established that access to food is critical to primary health. As Americans continue to struggle with access to food and healthcare, partnerships between organizations like these are vital tools to alleviate these crises. This bill would enable these existing partnerships to be expanded and for new ones to be created.

Congresswoman Kelly and Congressman Latimer previously championed this cause by sending a letter to the leadership of the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations subcommittee urging them to include report language in the Fiscal Year 2027 appropriations bill encouraging the expansion of partnerships between emergency feeding operations and community health centers.

Congresswoman Kelly stated, "What makes us sick, or keeps us well, starts long before we ever walk into a doctor's office. Over 40 million Americans have limited access to affordable groceries, and the Big, Ugly Law has now gutted SNAP and Medicaid on top of that. Community health centers and emergency feeding operations are already stepping up. This bill helps them do it together, through on-site food pantries and mobile distribution, so patients can get both the care and the healthy food they need. I'm proud to partner with Congressman Latimer to ensure that everyone has access to nutritious food, no matter their zip code."

Congressman Latimer stated, "I am proud to introduce this critical legislation alongside Congresswoman Robin Kelly at a time when far too many across our country are facing food insecurity and the rising cost of living. Food access is directly linked to health outcomes, and this bill aims to address the food insecurity that patients experience when seeking essential care. I am grateful to the national, statewide, and local partners who stand alongside us to ensure patients receive the comprehensive care. I look forward to working alongside our stakeholders as we work towards passing this necessary legislation."

Judith Watson, RN BSN MPH, HD, CEO of Westchester Community Health Center, stated, "Congressman Latimer came to our health centers, met our staff and patients, and saw firsthand how food insecurity affects our community. Then he did something about it. That is what leadership looks like, and it is truly inspiring. Hunger is a pressing issue that impacts the health of our community, including our patients and many neighbors who are not our patients. You cannot manage diabetes or high blood pressure without access to healthy food. Our partnership with Feeding Westchester has shown what a health center and a food bank can do together. We are grateful to Congressman Latimer and Congresswoman Kelly for introducing the Food Access in Community Health Centers Act, which would help health centers across the country bring nutritious food to their communities."

Kristine Borok, President and CEO of Feeding Westchester, stated, "At Feeding Westchester, we believe food is a fundamental right, and access to nutritious food is fundamental to our health. When people lack reliable access to nutritious food, chronic conditions become harder to manage, preventable health problems escalate, and too often the result is a medical crisis. Food as Medicine addresses this by recognizing that our food and healthcare system cannot operate in isolation. We are grateful to Congressman Latimer, who saw this work firsthand at our Food as Medicine partner sites and responded with the Food Access in Community Health Centers Act. This bill would create a grant program to help community health centers provide food pantry access to their patients, bringing nutritious food to the very places people go for care."

Rose Duhan, President and CEO of the Community Health Care Association of New York State, stated, "Community health centers see every day how food insecurity can affect a patient's health and make chronic conditions harder to manage. By bringing health centers and local food providers together, the Food Access in Community Health Centers Act would make it easier for patients to access both the care and the resources they need in their communities. Good health starts with having access to the basics, and CHCANYS appreciates Representatives Latimer and Kelly for recognizing the important connection between food access and health."

Jerome Nathaniel, Director of Policy and Government Relations at City Harvest, stated, "Food security and health are directly connected, which is why community health centers and food access organizations should be collaborating more deeply, especially at a moment when rates of food insecurity are staggeringly high. The Food Access in Community Health Centers Act would help bring those systems together, making it easier for organizations like City Harvest to make nutritious food more accessible where people already receive trusted health care and helping address food insecurity as part of supporting healthier communities."

Anne Kauffman Nolon, MPH, CEO of Sun River Health, stated, "As New York's largest community health center network, we know firsthand that no prescription can make up for an empty refrigerator. The Food Access in Community Health Centers Act would help health centers and food banks provide food right where patients receive care. With federal SNAP cuts taking hold, this model has never mattered more. We are proud to support it and grateful to Congressman Latimer for recognizing that food access is health care."

Leslie Gordon, President and CEO of Food Bank For NYC, stated, "We applaud Representatives Latimer and Kelly for introducing the Food Access in Community Health Centers Act and are proud to join the bill's coalition of supporters. By investing in partnerships between community health centers and food banks, this legislation recognizes a simple truth: access to nutritious food is essential to good health. This grant program would help deliver meaningful support to families while strengthening the community infrastructure they already trust and rely on."

The Food Access in Community Health Centers Act of 2026:
● Directs the HHS Secretary to establish a grant program to facilitate food access in CHCs.
● Enables emergency feeding operations and CHCs to apply jointly for these grants.
● Eligibility for these grants includes projects that involve creating or expanding a physical space in or adjacent to a CHC (e.g., an on-site food pantry or a mobile distribution vehicle) that assists with providing access to food.
● Specifies the maximum award per partnership as $500,000.
● Requires the HHS Secretary to report on 1) the effectiveness of the program, 2) the impact of the program on the food insecurity of patients of community health centers, and 3) recommendations to improve the program.

The bill has been endorsed by City Harvest, Community Health Care Association of New York State (CHCANYS), Feeding America, Feeding Westchester, Food Bank for NYC, Food Bank of the Southern Tier, Greater Chicago Food Depository, Sun River Health, and Westchester Community Health Center.

You can find the bill here.