Food Connections

The Food Connections Program aims to strengthen Swedish Hospital’s ability to address food insecurity and remove food access as a barrier to health.

The program aims to:

  • Identify patients living in food insecure households

  • Increase awareness of and connection to food access resources, such as local pantries and other community-based organizations

  • Create sustainable and impactful hospital-based initiatives to address food insecurity and promote healthy eating for our patients, staff and community

Current Food Connections Initiatives

Food Package at Discharge – Provides eligible patients with a take home bag of non-perishable items, along with information about community resources in order to help them heal at home. On average, 50 bags per month are distributed to patients and families in need. This initiative is possible due to a partnership with Lakeview Pantry’s Health and Hope Program.

Veggies for Health – Community members diagnosed with a nutrition related disease and experiencing food insecurity are eligible to join a free 8-week nutrition education class that includes a weekly bag of local produce from 40-Acres Fresh Market. The course ends with a field trip to the Friendship Center Food Pantry, where participants are registered to receive long term food access support.

The Cupboard Food Pantry – The no-questions-asked pantry in Galter Medical Pavilion offers both perishable and non-perishable food and personal hygiene products to patients, families, staff, and community members.

Green City Market @ Swedish Hospital – Patients, staff and community members can pre-order farm-fresh, local groceries through Green City Market to be picked up weekly in the Galter Medical Pavilion. The online market accepts and doubles the value of LINK purchases and offers financial assistance if needed.

Food Connections is made possible by generous donations to Swedish Hospital Foundation. Every dollar makes a difference. For more information about donating to Swedish Hospital, contact the Foundation at (773) 293-5121 or foundation@schosp.org.  

Read more articles about Food Connections.

2021: Year in Review

  • Roughly 5% of inpatient admissions and 39% of patients seen in the Nutrition and Diabetes Center screened positive for food insecurity

  • 160+ Patients have received food packages at discharge.

  • 9,900+ pounds of food provided to our community via The Cupboard

  • 100% of Veggies for Health participants in the most recent cohort saw a decrease in blood pressure during the 8-week program