CHOP Celebrates Grand Opening of Healthy Weight Food Pharmacy

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is proud to launch the first pediatric, hospital-based food pharmacy to promote healthy nutrition and address food insecurity. With the help of funding from GIANT Food Stores, CHOP will open the Healthy Weight Food Pharmacy, a food bank and education center in West Philadelphia.

One in five people in Philadelphia experiences food insecurity, which means they don’t consistently have access to enough food for an active and healthy lifestyle. Without a healthy diet, a child’s overall health and development is at risk.

When Food is Medicine

Opened in fall 2018, the Food Pharmacy is expected to assist about 250 families each year in its current West Philadelphia location.

With GIANT’s generous gift of $173,500, CHOP’s Healthy Weight Program has established the Healthy Weight Food Pharmacy. Patient families participating in our Healthy Weight Program will be asked about food insecurity during every visit. Those found to be experiencing food insecurity will be referred to our onsite Food Pharmacy. The Healthy Weight Food Pharmacy will provide families with a three-day supply of healthy food, connect them to community resources to address their food needs, and provide support and education to help families eat healthily on a budget. The CHOP Healthy Weight Program aims to reduce hunger in addition to improving the health of patients and their families by offering healthy foods, recipes, and educational programming.