Boston Medical Center (BMC) opened its innovative Nutrition Resource Center (NRC) which includes a Preventive Food Pantry and Demonstration Kitchen in 2001 to address hunger-related illness and malnutrition among BMC’s low-income patient population.
At the Preventive Food Pantry, patients referred are given “dietary prescriptions” by their physicians for nutritious supplemental food that promotes physical health and prevents future illness.
The Demonstration Kitchen, staffed by a Chef/Dietitian, complements the work of the Pantry by utilizing the food from the pantry to educate participants though hands-on cooking and demonstration classes that are compatible with their medical/dietary needs and cultural backgrounds.
The NRC is funded completely by philanthropic support and classes are free of charge. It strives to reach out to Boston’s most vulnerable citizens, and assist the fulfillment of BMC’s mission to provide consistently excellent and accessible health services to all in need of care regardless of status and ability to pay.
For more information, visit: https://www.bmc.org/programs/preventive-food-pantry
