On April 22, Rush University Medical Center in Chicago opened a food pantry in its emergency department to support patients' recovery and well-being.
Community health workers at the hospital will conduct social determinants of health screenings to engage with patients and identify who may be facing food insecurity. They can then ensure those patients can access the food pantry — which is stocked with produce and shelf-stable foods — before they're discharged.
The food pantry is an extension of Rush's Food is Medicine-Veggie Rx program, which has distributed nearly 1.8 million pounds of food to communities on the West Side of Chicago since its launch in 2022.