CVS Health Foundation funds expansion of meal service into Rhode Island for critical, chronically ill

Community Servings, a nonprofit provider of medically tailored meals and nutrition services, and a leader in “food is medicine” research, advocacy and policy, today announced it was awarded a $75,000 grant from CVS Health Foundation to support the expansion of home-delivered medically tailored meal services to Rhode Island.

The grant is part of the foundation’s 2023 Hometown Fund, which supports communities that the health care and retail pharmacy company’s headquarters call home.  During the grant period, Community Servings aims to provide 25,000 medically tailored meals to 180 Rhode Island clients along with their dependent children and caregivers.

“CVS Health has been a tremendous partner to Community Servings in our expansion of services in Massachusetts and now the company becomes our first philanthropic partner as our mission branches out to Rhode Island,” said David B. Waters, CEO of Community Servings.

Community Servings is the only full-scale medically tailored meals provider in New England, serving 2,500 people daily.  Medically tailored meals are nutritious, scratch-made meals approved by a registered dietitian nutritionist that reflect the appropriate, evidence-based dietary therapy.  The agency offers 15 medical diets for people with chronic and critical illnesses including cardiac disease, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and cancer.

The funds for Community Servings are part of $2 million in grants from the CVS Health Foundation awarded to nonprofits throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island to help bolster organizations working toward improving health outcomes and creating a healthier, more equitable future for all.

The CVS Health Foundation concentrated its investments in organizations working to increase access to health care services for underinsured or uninsured populations and improving health outcomes for individuals with chronic diseases – with a heightened focus on heart disease and mental health.  It also awarded grants to organizations addressing health-related social needs, including affordable housing, workforce training and food insecurity initiatives.

“When people have access to consistent health care and are equipped with the supporting services like affordable housing and healthy food, they are better positioned to improve their health,” said Sheryl Burke, senior vice president of corporate social responsibility and chief sustainability officer at CVS Health.  “Our Hometown Fund grantees selected this year serve as examples of the ongoing work that is the focus of our philanthropic programs.”

The CVS Health Foundation Hometown Fund was created in 2022 to support CVS Health’s neighbors and local communities who are working toward improving health outcomes locally. For more information about the Hometown Fund, click here.

About Community Servings

Founded in 1990, Community Servings’ mission is to actively engage the community to provide medically tailored, nutritious, scratch-made meals to chronically and critically ill individuals and their families.  We commit, in all our programs and business practices, to prioritize racial and economic justice and health equity.  To help clients maintain their health and dignity, we provide culturally appropriate meals, nutrition education and counseling, and other community programs.  Our kitchen team, with support from thousands of volunteers, prepares over 1 million medically tailored meals that are served to more than 6,000 clients annually.  For more information about programs and opportunities to volunteer or donate, please visit www.servings.org.