Open house highlights innovative “Food Is Medicine” collaboration addressing food insecurity and chronic disease
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Washington, D.C., May 27, 2026 – The Capital Area Food Bank and the University of Maryland Capital Region Health (UM Capital) are celebrating the milestone of serving 200 patients through their collaborative “food pharmacy,” which enables people to access the nutritious groceries needed for managing diet-related health conditions.
Located on the University of Maryland Medical System’s UM Capital Largo campus, the Capital Area Food Pharmacy is designed to provide food-insecure patients with access to food tailored to support their health.
Patients who screen as food insecure receive a “prescription” to use at the pharmacy, allowing them to pick up around 40 pounds of fresh produce and shelf-stable groceries every two weeks, at no cost to the patient. Patients may be referred by their physician if they are experiencing high-risk pregnancies, gestational diabetes, hypertension, pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes, or obesity.
During an open house Thursday celebrating the program, public officials, advocates and other visitors toured the on-site food pharmacy, learned about the program’s growth, and heard how medically tailored groceries are helping patients better manage chronic health conditions while improving access to nutritious food.
“When our neighbors don’t have access to good, nutritious food, they’re facing an uphill battle toward achieving better health,” said Radha Muthiah, president and CEO of the Capital Area Food Bank. “When we bring medically tailored groceries to the food pharmacy at UM Capital, patients can get medical care and nutritious food all in one place, saving time, energy and expense. This type of collaboration is what’s needed to make an enduring, positive impact on the health of our neighbors and communities.”
The food pharmacy collaboration is an example of the growing impact of the innovative “Food Is Medicine” initiative, which integrates nutritious food directly into healthcare settings. Research shows that those experiencing food insecurity are twice as likely to have a diet-related disease that impacts their daily life. This program offers an effective and cost-efficient way of supporting positive health outcomes for patients.
“At UM Capital, our mission extends beyond providing medical care—we are committed to expanding access to the resources that help our community thrive,” said Nathaniel Richardson, Jr., president, UM Capital Region Health. “Through this partnership with the Capital Area Food Bank, we are helping patients access nutritious food that supports healthier lifestyles, helps them better manage chronic conditions and improves overall
health. Serving more than 200 families is an important milestone in our shared commitment to advancing health and well-being in Prince George’s County.”
Since opening in 2024, the Capital Area Food Pharmacy at UM Capital has served more than 200 families, with program enrollment increasing steadily during 2026.
The UM Capital location is one of five Capital Area Food Pharmacy sites operating across our region, and the first to open in Maryland. These sites are serving a range of individuals, including pregnant and postpartum patients and their babies, seniors, and others facing a range of diet-related conditions.
About the Capital Area Food Bank:
The Capital Area Food Bank works to address hunger today and create brighter futures tomorrow for more than a million people across the region experiencing food insecurity. As the anchor in the area’s hunger relief infrastructure, the food bank provided nearly 62 million meals to people in need last year by supplying food to hundreds of nonprofit organizations, including Martha’s Table, SOME – So Others Might Eat, DC Central Kitchen, Food for Others, Manna, and others. It also works in partnership with organizations across the region to address hunger’s root causes by pairing food with critical services such as education, health care, and job training. To learn more, visit https://www.capitalareafoodbank.org/ or call (202.644.9864).
About the University of Maryland Capital Region Health (UM Capital):
Providing primary and specialty health care services to Prince George’s County and the neighboring area, University of Maryland Capital Region Health was established in September 2017 upon formal affiliation with the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), and is committed to improving health outcomes in the communities it serves. University of Maryland Capital Region Health operates the University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center in Largo, University of Maryland Laurel Medical Center, University of Maryland Bowie Health Campus, and the University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Group with practice locations in Largo, New Carrollton, Suitland, Bowie, Laurel and the National Harbor. Together, community physicians and University of Maryland School of Medicine (SOM) faculty provide clinical expertise across a range of specialties and programs including: acute rehabilitation; anesthesiology; critical and chronic ventilation care; emergency medicine; neonatology; orthopedics; and vascular surgery. University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center is home to the State’s second-busiest trauma center and a highly regarded cardiac surgery program, which is led by faculty from the University of Maryland School of Medicine; a certified and designated primary stroke center. For more information, visit www.umcapitalregion.org.