A Qualitative Study of Collaborative Food Programs: Insights from a FQHC-University Partnership During COVID-19

Top Things to Know

Strong leadership and a collaborative culture are essential for the success of food as medicine programs, ensuring effective implementation and community engagement.

Building robust community partnerships and integrating health education can enhance the impact of food initiatives, demonstrating the importance of food in promoting holistic health.

Addressing logistical and funding challenges and emphasizing the need for continuous assessment can improve the sustainability and effectiveness of food as medicine programs, ensuring long-term health benefits.

Summary of Conclusion/Findings

The study evaluated the UCLA-VFC Emergency Prepared Meal Program, a collaborative initiative between UCLA and Venice Family Clinic during COVID-19. It identified four key themes: the critical role of leadership and collaborative culture, the importance of community partnerships and health education, logistical and funding challenges, and the need for assessment and evaluation. The program fostered strong community relationships and provided meaningful nourishment, but faced capacity limitations. The study concluded that university-community partnerships have unique potential to address food insecurity and highlighted the need for further quantitative evaluation.