The Medicaid Food Security Network Funds Critical Work in Four States to Address Food and Nutrition Insecurity

Washington, DC – Share Our Strength’s Medicaid Food Security Partners Program, an initiative of the Medicaid Food Security Network (MFSN), has launched its second grantee cohort. The program awards $75,000 grants to four state-based organizations to support the advocacy or implementation of promising food security policy initiatives within their respective state Medicaid programs. Their strategies will include a special focus on increasing enrollment in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

MFSN builds on the Food is Medicine movement by mobilizing Medicaid systems to address food and nutrition insecurity, especially for children and families. Nearly half of the 72 million Medicaid beneficiaries are children, and 14 million Medicaid enrollees are food insecure.

“There’s a significant body of evidence that Food is Medicine programs, from SNAP and WIC to medically tailored meals, can generate huge healthcare savings and improved outcomes for Medicaid systems and beneficiaries,” says Share Our Strength’s Director of Medicaid and Benefits Integration, Dr. Julian Xie.

GRANTEES

The following organizations will receive the $75,000 award over 18 months, along with cohort learning opportunities and technical assistance focused on engaging with state Medicaid agencies and managed care organizations:

• Roadrunner Food Bank of New Mexico
• Ohio Association of Foodbanks
• SC Thrive
• Feeding Texas

“We are thrilled and honored to be selected,” said Stephanie McGuire, Chief Learning & Development Officer at SC Thrive. “This grant will help us strengthen partnerships with state agencies and advocate for policies that connect Medicaid recipients to vital nutrition programs like SNAP and WIC, ensuring that eligible children and families get the comprehensive support they need.” 

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About the MFSN Co-Designers

Share Our Strength is working to end hunger and poverty in the United States and abroad. Through proven, effective campaigns like No Kid Hungry, we connect people who care to ideas that work.

HealthBegins partners with and trains courageous leaders to improve the social drivers of health and equity at all levels: individual social needs, community-level social determinants of health, and deeper structural determinants of health equity.