Richmond nonprofit partners with VCU Health to bring ‘food as medicine’ to patients

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A Richmond nonprofit has partnered with Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Health to help bridge the gap between meals and medicine for food- and nutrition-insecure patients.

The Underground Kitchen Community First (UGK-CF) began as a pandemic-era effort to feed the community, and has since evolved into a growing network of nutrition programs aimed at improving long-term health.

For nearly six years, UGK-CF has worked to support better nutrition, serving more than 1.2 million meals to residents with limited access to nutritious food.

“Not just food, but how to use that food and how to manage that food for better health,” said Michael Sparks, CEO of UGK-CF.

The nonprofit’s latest initiative is a partnership with VCU Health, integrating nutrition directly into patient care through a program rooted in the concept that food can function as medicine.

“This partnership helps to advance VCU Health’s long-standing commitment to support the
food and nutritional needs of our patients,” said Tyler Agee, director of community health at VCU Health. “The collaboration allows us to provide a holistic approach to supporting our
patients’ clinical care and treatments with complementary food and nutrition education
that is appropriate for their medical diagnosis.”

Over the course of nine weeks, food and nutrition-insecure patients are connected with UGK-CF's programs, each tailored to meet patients' health needs. Individuals receive access to cooking classes from the Smart Soul Food program, prepared meals courtesy of From Scratch and meal kit boxes from Nourish.

The partnership builds on several pilot programs that paired nutritional support with medical care plans. Sparks said those efforts produced measurable results last year.

“We saw people getting their diabetes under control and folks getting their blood sugar where it should be,” Sparks said. “Some clients even lost 20 to 25 pounds just from eating clean food.”

Sparks said the organization is also intentional about providing food with dignity through clean and thoughtful packaging. UGK-CF also prioritizes culturally appropriate ingredients, using foods familiar to an individual's cultural background while reintroducing healthier ways to prepare them.

Currently, the program is funded through grants and fundraisers. However, the nonprofit is closely watching legislation moving through the General Assembly that could allow food-based health programs to be covered by Medicaid in the future, and reach more people.

“We’ve been really lucky so far,” he said. “But with new legislation and growing awareness around food as medicine, we’re hoping to take this to the next level.”