Healthy Food Rx Program

Healthy Food Rx is a ‘Food is Medicine’ program developed through Abbott’s Future Well Communities initiative to improve diabetes outcomes in Stockton, California. In partnership with the Public Health Institute’s Center for Wellness and Nutrition (PHI CWN), Community Medical Centers (CMC), Asian Pacific Self-Development and Residential Association (APSARA), and the Emergency Food Bank Stockton/San Joaquin (EFB), the program delivers coordinated clinical and social support for low-income residents with diabetes. 

Over six months, participants received biweekly, home-delivered food boxes containing fresh produce, pantry staples, and culturally relevant recipes, along with access to virtual cooking classes, nutrition and diabetes self-management education, community health worker outreach, social care referrals, and transportation assistance. 

The program has reached 1,700 residents to date. A 12-month evaluation showed lower A1C levels, improved diet quality, greater food security, and better diabetes self-management among participants.

Program Implementation

As the lead implementation and evaluation partner for Abbott’s Healthy Food Rx Program, PHI CWN coordinated efforts among local organizations and ensured successful program delivery. These responsibilities included: 

  • Project Management and Coordination: Oversaw cross-sector collaboration among Abbott’s Future Well Communities partners.  
  • Training and Technical Assistance: Supported local partners with capacity-building efforts to deliver program components effectively. 
  • Data Collection and Evaluation: Conducted outcome tracking across all program models, including health, behavioral, and systems-level metrics. 
  • Dissemination: Shared findings and best practices to inform future health equity and chronic disease initiatives.

Healthy Food Rx reached individuals across seven program models—three clinic-based, three community health worker-led health coaching programs, and one community-based model. This flexible, multi-sector approach demonstrated measurable improvements in food security, diet quality, and diabetes-related health outcomes. 

“This program has greatly benefited our family’s health and well-being. We are truly grateful.” – Program participant

Our Work in the News

Publications and Presentations

Clinic-Based

Abbott’s Healthy Food Rx Program launched in 2021 at Community Medical Centers, a federally qualified health center in Stockton. Working with a team of Health Educators to conduct screenings and program enrollment, we conducted a 6-month study and a 12-month study. In 2023, we evaluated the program using a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design.

Community-Based

Following the success of the 12-month study results, partner organizations wanted a way to refer their clients into Healthy Food Rx. We designed a “community-referral” program model to expand the reach of our program to test scalability and effectiveness outside of the clinic setting. Evaluation results will be shared later in 2025. 

Health Coaching Plus Healthy Food Rx

PHI CWN partnered with community health workers (CHWs) at the Asian Pacific Self-Development and Residential Association (APSARA) to co-create a standardized health coaching intervention designed to meet the needs of the communities they serve in their preferred language (English, Spanish, or Khmer). Lesson plans and an action plan journal were developed to support participants in topics such as healthy eating, physical activity, and understanding key health indicators.

CHWs delivered one lesson per month for six months, either in person or by telephone, with brief follow-up check-ins twice per month. The intervention was implemented over three consecutive years: Round 1 (2023), Round 2 (2024), and Round 3 (2025). Pre- and post-program surveys were collected by CHWs to evaluate participant outcomes. Evaluation findings were presented at the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions 2026.

Health Coaching Resources

Healthy Food Rx + CHW-led Health Coaching Video

Watch how community health workers supported participants through culturally responsive health coaching, nutrition education, goal setting, and diabetes self-management as part of the Healthy Food Rx program.

Materials: