When you see your healthcare provider, imagine food being as important as medicine. Many families that come to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland for care rely on inexpensive, processed foods because healthy foods are unavailable or inaccessible in their communities. With a focus on prevention, physicians and other health care providers at our hospital have made the connection between food insecurity and children's health and well-being for many years.
Partnering with the Alameda County Community Food Bank and Phat Beet Farms, we host two Food Farmacies a month for patients and their families. Participants are offered whole grains, fruits, vegetables, eggs and protein – all free of charge. Additionally, staff are available to enroll families in CalFresh, provide health education information, and offer discounted Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) food box enrollment and cooking demonstrations.
Patients and families who've been referred to the Food Farmacy program can pick up bags of food on the following days:
- On the second Thursday of each month, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., next to the main hospital entrance at 747 52nd Street in Oakland.
- On the second and fourth Thursday of each month, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., in front of our primary care clinics at 5220 Claremont Avenue in Oakland.
Individuals or organizations interested in volunteering at a Food Farmacy may contact Rigoberto Del Toro at [email protected].
