Key Drivers to Improve Food Security and Health Outcomes: An Evidence Review of Food Bank – Health Care Partnerships and Related Interventions

This evidence review identifies key interventions that food banks and health care systems are engaged with as partners and assesses existing evidence to quantify the benefits of these programs for the specific outcomes of food security, diet quality, and health outcomes. Intervention examples include food insecurity screenings in health care settings followed by referrals to food pantries, referrals to produce distribution programs, or diabetes self-management programs in food pantries.  The review includes detailed descriptions of the interventions, research and evaluation opportunities, and case studies to highlight examples and lessons learned from the various interventions.  This review is not intended to be a blueprint for implementation, but rather a tool to better understand the types of partnerships that exist between food banks and health care, where more evidence is needed, and which interventions are most promising.