Providence, RI – Point32Health, the parent company of Tufts Health Plan and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, and Meals on Wheels of Rhode Island, are collaborating to broaden access to healthy and nutritious meals for pregnant women who are patients at Women & Infants Hospital.
“Health care providers understand the importance of nutrition for women during pregnancy and it is critical to find a way to meet families where they are – not only by addressing cost barriers, but also hurdles of transportation or even cultural dietary needs,” said Michele Wolfsberg, director of clinical strategy for commercial products at Point32Health. “Our program with Meals on Wheel of RI and Women & Infants, has helped to provide thousands of healthy meals to households in Rhode Island to support maternal wellness and healthy baby development.”
Launched in 2022 and funded by Point32Health, the program utilizes clinical social workers at Women & Infants to identify patients who could benefit from no-cost, weekly home-delivered meals. The initiative supports expecting mothers with high-risk prenatal medical conditions, such as gestational diabetes, and those whose income may be a barrier to consistent, nutritional meals.
“Providing healthy, nourishing food is essential to help close the gap in health disparities and improve outcomes for pregnant and postpartum mothers. The simple act of delivering a meal can change the lives of vulnerable members of our community,” said Methodius G. Tuuli, MD, MPH, MBA, chief of obstetrics and gynecology, Women & Infants Hospital; executive chief of obstetrics and gynecology, Care New England Health System.
The program provides a weekly delivery of meals to each participant and their household for the duration of their pregnancy, and a weekly meal for two weeks during the postpartum period. In addition to an array of healthy meal selections, designated Latin, Asian, and Kosher menus are also available.
“Meals on Wheels of RI is proud to collaborate on this expansion of our ‘More Than A Meal’ model, which aligns with our 2025 strategic plan,” said Meals on Wheels of RI executive director Meghan Grady. “We are very pleased with the results to date and grateful for the important opportunity to serve this in-need population.”
In a survey, 100 percent of the respondents reported enjoying the food and reported that the meals made them feel healthier. More than half of respondents reported using WIC program information included with meal deliveries.