Wholesome Wave and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation Collaborate to Improve Maternal Health Outcomes in Bridgeport

Ninety pregnant women in the Park City will receive monthly produce prescription benefit and nutrition guidance through new Food is Medicine program

BRIDGEPORT, CONN. — With support from the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, Wholesome Wave has partnered with Southwest Community Health Center (SWCHC) to launch Food4Moms Park City, a produce prescription program designed to combat food and nutrition insecurity and improve maternal health outcomes among low-income pregnant women in Bridgeport.

Food insecurity during pregnancy is linked to higher risks of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, preterm birth, and neonatal intensive care unit admissions, among other complications. With nearly a quarter of Bridgeport residents experiencing hunger, this program aims to increase fruit and vegetable consumption, improve food and nutrition security, and advance better maternal and birth outcomes in a community with one of the highest rates of food insecurity in Connecticut.

“Wholesome Wave has a history of developing innovative and effective Food As Medicine solutions to nutrition insecurity across the nation,” said Katina Gionteris, assistant director of research for Wholesome Wave. “In addition to improving food security and nutritional intake for moms living in the Hartford and Bridgeport communities, Food4Moms is also a research project designed to measure strategies to make maternal produce prescription programs more successful. The outcome of this program, therefore, should lead to improved health outcomes for moms and newborns that will also help establish best practices for programs like this going forward.”

“We believe that access to nutritious food is fundamental to good health—especially during pregnancy, when healthy nutrition is vital for both mom and baby,” said Dr. Michael Jefferson, medical director for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Connecticut. “By supporting Food4Moms Park City, we’re helping ensure that expectant mothers in Bridgeport have the resources they need to thrive. Together with Wholesome Wave, we’re not only addressing immediate nutrition needs, but also working to create lasting change in maternal health outcomes in southwestern Connecticut and across the state.”

Food4Moms Park City is integrated into Southwest Community Health Center’s prenatal care protocol and will enroll up to 90 patients between 10 and 18 weeks of pregnancy. Each participant receives a $60 monthly produce prescription benefit via the Fresh Connect debit card, which can be used exclusively to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at participating retailers, including Food Bazaar, Stop & Shop, and Walmart. On average, benefits last six to seven months, extending through six weeks postpartum. The program also provides weekly text messages with recipes, handouts, and nutritional guidance, while SWCHC staff check in with participants during prenatal visits to help participants make the most of the program.

“Access to healthy, nutritious food during pregnancy is one of the most powerful investments we can make in a family’s future. When expectant mothers have the resources to eat well, we see healthier pregnancies, stronger infant development, and improved long-term health outcomes for both mother and child,” said Richard Wintermute, MD, FACO, chief medical officer for Southwest Community Health Center. “For nearly 50 years, Southwest Community Health Center has been committed to providing wraparound services to our patients and communities. Through partnerships with programs like Food4Moms, we can help to give families the foundation to impact future generations.”

Food4Moms Park City builds on the success of Wholesome Wave’s Food4Moms initiative in Hartford, conducted in partnership with the Hispanic Health Council. That program enrolled 154 Latina, low-income pregnant women, who on average used 83 percent of the produce benefits they were given—significantly higher than the national average redemption rate of 60 percent for similar programs. While the Hartford program relied on self-reported health outcomes, the Bridgeport program will leverage electronic medical data to more comprehensively measure and analyze maternal and birth outcomes.

For more information about the program, visit wholesomewave.org/food4moms.

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About Wholesome Wave

Located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Wholesome Wave is a pioneering and innovative national nonprofit. Our mission is to make health-giving fresh fruits and vegetables accessible and affordable for all Americans. We are accomplishing our mission through development of research-driven innovation and development of effective program solutions. We then disseminate our expertise and program successes to government decision-makers and other nonprofits, which results in the elevation of all work being done to improve food security and nutrition equity, and to expand produce prescription and nutrition incentive programs. Co-founded by 4x James Beard Foundation award-winning Chef Michel Nischan we also empower and support chefs across the country do work in the communities they call home to improve food systems. To learn more, visit wholesomewave.org.

About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation

The Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is a philanthropic arm of the Elevance Health Foundation. The Foundation works to improve the health of the socially vulnerable through strategic partnerships and programs in our communities with an emphasis on maternal-infant child health; behavioral health; and food as medicine. Additionally, the Foundation also responds to disasters when our communities need us the most. The Foundation coordinates the company’s year-round Dollars for Dollars program which provides a 100 percent match of associates’ donations, as well as its Volunteer Time Off and Dollars for Doers community service programs. ®ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross names and symbol are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. To learn more about the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation and the Elevance Health Foundation, please visit www.elevancehealth.foundation and its blog at www.medium.com/elevancehealthfoundation.

About Southwest Community Health Center, Inc.

Southwest Community Health Center, Inc. is dedicated to providing high quality, accessible medical, dental and behavioral health services to individuals and families in the Greater Bridgeport area, especially the uninsured, who reside in the medically underserved Southwest Bridgeport community. Celebrating 50 years of service to our community, learn more about Southwest Community Health Center, Inc. by visiting www.SWCHC.org.

Media contact:
stephanie.dubois@anthem.com