About NourishRx:

Good health begins with consistent access to healthy food. Yet for thousands of individuals across Eastern Wisconsin, maintaining a healthy diet is made more difficult by limited access to nutritious, affordable food.

Our Food as Medicine interventions, under the umbrella of NourishRx, connects health and nutrition, helping people receive the right foods, education, and support to maintain healthy diets.

When nutritious food is treated as essential to healthcare, not an afterthought, people are more far more likely to lead healthier lives. Hunger is not just a social issue, it’s a health issue.

Our Vision:

To embed healthy food options and nutrition within the food security ecosystem so every eligible person in our 35-county service area can access and properly identify the foods that best support their health.

Goals of NourishRx:

  • Provide reliable and convenient access to nutritious food for individuals experiencing chronic health conditions
  • Intentionally intersect health systems, community partners, and the hunger relief network to achieve better health outcomes
  • Provide education to participants on healthy eating, in partnership with health systems and nutrition experts

How It Works:

STEP 1:

Partner Inquiries

Community-based organizations, health systems, or philanthropic partners inquire to participate in NourishRx programs, then work with our internal team to select the intervention that works best for the population they are serving.

STEP 2:

Referral and Enrollment

Individuals are referred and enrolled into the program through or by community partners.

STEP 3:

Food Access

Participants are provided nutritious groceries through convenient pickup options such as mobile distributions or food lockers.

Click HERE to fill out a partnership interest form for the NourishRx program.

NourishRx Partners With:

Individuals and families experiencing food insecurity

Clinics, hospitals, and care coordinators

 

Community-based organizations, food pantry partners

 

Philanthropic corporations, foundations, individual donors

Advocates, elected officials, and media amplifying the message

LEARN MORE: PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Efforts In Action:

NourishRx connects the power of nutritious food with better health outcomes. By working hand-in-hand with local healthcare providers, community partners, and families, we’re building a future where food is recognized as a fundamental part of care, not an afterthought. Our Food as Medicine interventions remove barriers to access, provide culturally-specific nutrition, and empower individuals and families to make lasting, healthy choices. Together, these efforts strengthen the link between food security and overall wellness.

Ongoing Food as Medicine interventions include (expand to learn more):

Fast Pass

Seeking medical treatment is difficult enough without also worrying about where your next meal will come from. Fast Pass ensures patients in treatment and their families have reliable access to healthy food throughout their recovery journey. By offering flexible online ordering, delivery, or pick-up at times that work with treatment schedules, Fast Pass removes barriers that too often lead patients to skip meals or even drop out of care. This program helps patients stay focused on healing while also ensuring their loved ones are cared for.

Mindful Meals and Smart Lockers

Food assistance works best when it provides dignity and choice. Through our Mindful Meals program, families can use the OrderAhead platform to select items for balanced, nutritious meals that fit their household’s needs. Orders are packed and made available at convenient community sites, eliminating stigma and long lines. To increase flexibility, smart lockers are stocked with fresh produce, proteins, and dairy, allowing families to pick up groceries when it works for them. Together, these innovations empower families to make healthier choices while reducing barriers to food access. Learn more HERE.

Nutritional Groceries

In collaboration with our strong network of partners, nutritional grocery programs provide families with fresh, frozen, and shelf-stable foods such as lean proteins, wholesome grains, vegetables, fruits, and family favorites, and often include culturally-specific items as well. Beyond meeting immediate needs, the programs connect families with health education on balanced eating and chronic disease prevention, ensuring that meals also support long-term wellness and equity.

Partnerships with Federal and State Nutrition Programs

NourishRx also supports access to critical safety-net programs like TEFAP, CSFP, FoodShare (SNAP), and school meal initiatives. We work to expand pantry capacity, especially in rural areas, while helping families navigate applications and renewals for FoodShare benefits. These programs are often the first line of defense against hunger, and our role ensures that neighbors can access them with dignity, confidence, and support.

Health and Community-Based Pilots

By partnering with hospitals, clinics, and public health organizations, we’re piloting new models that integrate food into healthcare. Pairing nutrition with chronic disease management, these efforts connect patients to fresh, healthy food while tracking measurable health outcomes. The goal is simple: treat food as the powerful tool it is to improve health, reduce disparities, and prevent disease.

Policy and Advocacy

Lasting change requires systems-level solutions. Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin works with state and federal partners to advocate for strong nutrition programs, greater investment in culturally-specific food access, and policies that position food as a key driver of health. By lifting up stories from our communities, we ensure that the lived experience of hunger informs the way decisions are made at every level.

Get Involved:

Healthcare Providers and Payers: Partner with us to encourage your patients and members towards healthier outcomes

Funders, Sponsors, Corporations: Help us scale this innovative approach to solving hunger

Community Organizations: Connect with us to provide your participants with nutritious and convenient food options

Partnership Opportunities: To learn more about partnering with us or how your organization can support NourishRx, click HERE

Michelle L. Ford, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin’s Director of Health System Partnerships, has over 20 years of experience in executive leadership and healthcare transformation across corporate, nonprofit, healthcare, and foundation sectors.

Ford’s career includes executive leadership roles at several nonprofit organizations. As Executive Director of the United Neighborhood Centers of Milwaukee, she oversaw operations, financial management, and community engagement, while advancing the organization’s mission and outcomes. She also held multiple leadership positions at the American Cancer Society, Midwest Division, where she built statewide community health worker networks and developed diversity training programs at regional and national levels.

Prior to Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, Ford served as a national thought leader and principal consultant. She has advised health ecosystem stakeholders – including managed care organizations, state and local governments, community-based organizations, and health systems – on healthcare transformation projects. As the National Director of Health and Well-Being for the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities and the Council on Accreditation, Ford led efforts to advance health and strengthen the community health worker workforce.

Ford holds a bachelor’s degree in business and management from Alverno College and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Cardinal Stritch University, where she served as an adjunct instructor in the College of Business and Management. Ford was recently awarded an honorary doctorate in humanities from the Medical College of Wisconsin, in recognition of her contributions to the field.

A dedicated servant leader, Ford has been actively engaged in several national advisory roles, including the Social Interventions Research Network (SIREN), Morehouse School of Medicine’s National Resiliency Network, and Camden Coalition’s National Center for Complex Health and Social Needs. Locally, she serves as President of the Board of America’s Black Holocaust Museum, supports the African American Women’s Fund, the Cinderella Project, and is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Upsilon Mu Omega Chapter.

To connect with Michelle L. Ford directly, email [email protected].

"Food is one of the most powerful tools we have to improve one’s health. NourishRx is not a new concept, it reflects years of collaboration with our healthcare and community partners, now united under a formal name.”
Michelle L. Ford, Director of Health System Partnerships