The Foodbank, in partnership with Dayton Children’s Hospital, has created a Food Script Program that will allow physicians and staff to write food prescriptions for hospital patient families who have been identified as food insecure. The food insecure screenings will be conducted by hospital community health workers, social workers, nurses, and staff. The primary target audience for this project is families with children who may be food insecure but are not already receiving food assistance.
Patient families who are identified as food insecure will be referred to The Foodbank’s Drive-Thru Market. Patient families who have a food script will receive a box of family friendly meals that will include bakery items and fresh produce. Families will be referred to their nearest Foodbank service site to receive ongoing food assistance, as well as help in applying for SNAP and WIC benefits.
Dayton Children’s Hospital is a pediatric hospital that shares a common goal with The Foodbank: to improve quality of life for children in our region. The main goal for this program includes providing a new outlet for hungry families with children in safe, child-friendly, and easily accessible locations. Reaching food insecure families that are not currently served due to lack of knowledge of available assistance or inability to access assistance due to transportation or other barriers is another goal The Foodbank would like to meet. Lastly, The Foodbank would like to utilize trusted patient and doctor relationships to improve childhood health and encourage the use of food assistance among eligible families.
The drive-thru is located 3.5 miles from Dayton Children’s Hospital and is accessible by the bus line. Family food boxes will be made and stored at the Foodbank.
For more information about qualifying for this program please call The Foodbank at 937-461-0265 x26.
