Who We Are
Community Servings is a nonprofit organization that provides high-quality medically tailored meals (MTM) and medically tailored groceries (MTG) to the homes of individuals and families who are affected by food and nutrition insecurity and serious illnesses. We have delivered more than 14 million MTM since our founding in 1990 and published nationally recognized peer-reviewed research demonstrating the impact of MTM on improved health, decreased utilization of acute healthcare services, and reduced healthcare costs for people experiencing nutrition insecurity and critical and chronic illness. In October 2024, Community Servings received accreditation from the Food is Medicine Coalition (FIMC), the national association of nonprofit MTM providers. In April 2025, we launched the AMPL Institute where excellence in providing medically tailored nutrition meets pioneering research, policy work, and provider education. The AMPL Institute will advance the field of Food is Medicine through groundbreaking research, advocacy for the reimbursement of medically tailored nutrition services through healthcare, sharing best practices for medically tailored nutrition innovations and sustainability, and provider nutrition education. Community Servings currently contracts with over 15 health plans and healthcare providers to fund access to MTM for enrollees and patients.
How We Think of Food is Medicine
The American Heart Association defines Food is Medicine as the provision of healthy food, such as medically tailored meals, medically tailored groceries, and produce prescriptions, to treat or manage specific clinical conditions in a way that is integrated with and paid for by the healthcare sector (Schwartz et al., Health Affairs, April 2025). We believe this is aligned with the definition included in Food & Society at the Aspen Institute’s FIM Action Plan, but weaves together two concepts, definition of FIM and inclusion of FIM interventions.
How We Put Food is Medicine Into Action
We offer medically tailored home-delivered meals as well as medically tailored groceries. We follow the Food is Medicine Coalition’s definition and standards of the MTM intervention. Clients are referred by a healthcare provider, including nurses, social workers, case managers, physicians, dentists, etc., or health plan. Upon intake, our registered dietitian nutritionists conduct an in-depth nutrition assessment in order to prescribe a meal plan that addresses the individual’s primary diagnosis, co-occurring conditions, and, to the extent possible, food preferences. Meals are developed by our executive chefs in partnership with registered dietitian nutritionists. Meals are delivered or shipped to the homes of our clients. Our programs offer ongoing nutrition education and support. There is also a process for client feedback and quality control. The program typically lasts at least six months, but duration can also depend on the nature of the referral, such as end-of-life, paid for by a health plan, and the like.
How We’re Funded and How the Future Looks
Funding is through philanthropy, healthcare contracts--for example, we are a sub-contractor through a Medicaid Section 1115 waiver and have direct contracts with Medicare Advantage plans and home-hospital programs--and the Ryan White program, administered through the Departments of Public Health for the State of Massachusetts and the City of Boston. Regardless of threats to public funding, the work will continue.
Which Metrics and Outcomes We Track
We track outcomes in a variety of ways, through formal research partnerships, client evaluations, and evaluation processes required by contracts. We have tracked healthcare utilization and costs; clinical outcomes such as HbA1c measures, blood pressure, and weight; quality of life; and overall satisfaction with the meals and the program.
Lessons Learned
- It is essential to have a multi-pronged approach to funding.
- It takes significant investment in technology, training, and staffing to implement and sustain an operational partnership with the healthcare system.
- The quality of the meal is everything. It is essential to utilize high-quality ingredients and produce meals that are tasty, colorful, and enjoyable for our clients to eat.
Why We Want to Keep Providing Food is Medicine
Food is Medicine work is embedded in our DNA. Our work and Food is Medicine are inseparable.