It’s the only one like it in Utah.
"We provide healthy nutritious foods on the trailer," said Ellen Maxfield with University of Utah Health. "Fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy, lean protein, whole grains, as well as shelf, stable products that they might find in their very own pantry and not know how to use.”
Maxfield helps run the Food Pharmacy trailer for people in the community struggling with chronic nutrition-related conditions (i.e. diabetes or heart failure) who are also experiencing food insecurity.
"Unfortunately, during the pandemic food insecurity came more to the forefront," Maxfield said. "We wanted to be able to address that and be able to help in our community … Food pharmacy is one of those things out there, so we thought we would give it a try.”
It takes a handful of volunteers in the trailer each day to process the prescriptions. "It's a 6-month program they’re able to enroll in.”
What started a short five months ago has helped dozens of people, which is why they have been awarded FOX13's andSmith's Food and Drug's Zero Hunger Hero for October.
Ellen says any University of Utah patient with a referral can participate at either of their two locations.
