Instacart has entered a strategic partnership with Wellness West, an alliance of health and safety-net organizations located on Chicago’s West Side, to combat food insecurity.
Instacart, the prominent grocery store technology company, has entered a strategic partnership with Wellness West, an alliance of health and safety-net organizations located on Chicago’s West Side, to combat food insecurity. This collaboration capitalizes on Instacart’s Fresh Funds, a program unveiled in March 2023, which will provide Wellness West members with a monthly grocery stipend of $79.
Through Fresh Funds, members will be able to access essential groceries, bolstering their access to nutritious foods. This initiative is a pivotal step in Wellness West’s mission to promote health equity, as emphasized by Misty Drake, Executive Director at Wellness West and Vice President of Client Services and Growth for Medical Home Network.
Drake stated, “We are very pleased to be joining forces with Instacart to advance the cause of health equity. For the communities we serve, a whole person model of care that addresses social factors such as access to healthy food is essential. With this partnership, Instacart’s state-of-the-art consumer-tech platform is brought to the mission of helping people across the West Side who are facing significant barriers to healthy dietary options.”
This collaboration aligns with Instacart’s foray into healthcare solutions, a product line introduced in March 2023, known as Instacart Health. This platform empowers healthcare providers to prescribe produce and implement food programs for patients facing dietary-related health challenges or food insecurity.
Within Instacart Health, the Fresh Funds program allows patients to directly purchase groceries through Instacart, with their purchase history shared back with their healthcare provider for a comprehensive view of their dietary needs.
Additionally, Instacart Health offers Care Carts, personalized grocery selections tailored to patients’ dietary restrictions based on specific chronic illnesses. Providers also gain access to virtual storefronts, shoppable recipes, and nutrition lists through this platform.
The pressing need for such services is underscored by statistics in the Chicago metro area, where 16% of households, 22% of households with children, and 29% of Black households experience food insecurity. This issue is often rooted in income disparities, transportation access, and support, according to a health risk assessment conducted by Wellness West.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson commended the initiative, emphasizing the city’s commitment to innovative solutions and public-private partnerships to address food inequities.
With over half a million Chicago residents residing in food deserts, Instacart and Wellness West aim to bridge the gap, ensuring that families on the West Side can access wholesome and nutritious foods.
Sarah Mastrorocco, Vice President and General Manager of Instacart Health, stated, “We’re using the power of our technology to bridge the gap and ensure more families can put wholesome foods on their tables. We’re proud to partner with Wellness West to help families on the West Side of Chicago overcome barriers to access and get the foods they need to support their health and well-being.”