June 24, 2024- The global healthcare company Abbott (NYSE: ABT) and the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) have joined together to increase access to healthy foods and improve health through the Innovation Incubator initiative. Eight community health centers have been selected to receive funding, expert guidance and training to design and test new solutions to help advance nutrition and improve care in their communities.
One in eight U.S. households (12.8%) experience food insecurity, or lack of access to an affordable, nutritious diet. Studies show that integrating nutritious food into clinical care can help address chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and/or heart disease. Now in its second year, the Innovation Incubator awardees will bring forward innovative ideas to help heath centers across the country improve access to nutritious food as a part of a healthy lifestyle for their patients, regardless of their ZIP code or ability to pay for health services.
As established, trusted institutions, community health centers play a crucial role in addressing health barriers for the people they serve. The aim of the Innovation Incubator is to support health centers in imagining, building and testing sustainable solutions for their unique populations – all with the broader goal of sharing what works with health centers nationwide to advance health access and equity.
Through a competitive process, health centers across the U.S. submitted their proposals and NACHC selected eight health centers to participate in this year’s Innovation Incubator, focused on improving health equity through access to nutritious food. Projects include work across a number of areas, from creating community gardens and conducting nutrition education, to providing expectant mothers and people with chronic diseases with the customized nutrition they need. The eight health centers receiving funding through the 2024 Innovation Incubator initiative include:
- Affinia Healthcare, St. Louis
- Asian Health Services, Oakland, Calif.
- Cabin Creek Health Systems, Charleston, W.Va.
- Delaware Valley Community Health, Philadelphia
- White House Clinics, Richmond, Ky.
- Mainline Health Systems, Inc., Monticello, Ark.
- Tri-Area Community Health, Laurel Fork, Va.
- Urban Health Plan, New York
These health centers will develop and test new solutions over six months, putting the unique perspectives, experiences and challenges of their communities at the forefront. Centers will be supported by subject matter experts across diverse fields through individualized coaching and mentoring to help design and implement their projects.