Gary speakers say ‘‘Food Is Medicine’’ program shows health benefits but faces funding shortfall

At the Sept. 16, 2025 meeting of the Gary Common Council, a program representative described a locally run “Food Is Medicine” initiative that provides medically tailored meal boxes to residents with chronic conditions and said the program will run out of funding in about five months unless additional support is found.

The presenter told the council the program served cohorts of about 50 participants for six months, delivered seven meals per week, and provided a box every other week with roughly $75 worth of produce and protein even though the box is typically budgeted at $40. The speaker said the program obtained two grants — a state grant of $500,000 and an additional federal grant (amount not specified) — and that the program’s university partner reported measurable health improvements among participants.

Program leaders and several participants said the initiative led to lower blood pressure readings, reduced medication use and lower grocery bills. “It not only helped me with my blood pressure, it helped me with my food bill also,” said participant Maddie Perry Lightfoot. Barbara Freeman, who identified herself as having worked in public health for 30 years, said her doctor enrolled her after she was diagnosed with coronary artery disease and she has seen her blood pressure normalize.

The presenter said the program included nutrition education and live cooking demonstrations. The city partner that evaluated outcomes, the speaker said, is Indiana University; the presenter reported the university’s evaluation showed decreases in blood pressure and medication use, and physicians asking patients what they had done differently.

Speakers asked the council and the public to help secure ongoing funding so the program can continue beyond its remaining months of support. The presenter invited council members and the public to a documentary and community presentation about the program scheduled for Oct. 16 at Indiana University Northwest.

Council members did not take formal action on the program during the meeting. Several participants who spoke during public comment urged continued funding and wider awareness of the program’s reported clinical gains.

Details disclosed at the meeting

• Program size and cadence: cohorts of about 50 people; cohort length reported as six months; participants receive seven meals per week and a food box every other week. • Funding: a state grant of $500,000 was explicitly mentioned; an additional federal grant was referenced but the amount was not specified. • Reported outcomes: decreases in blood pressure and reduced need for prescriptions were attributed to the program by participants and the presenter; the university partner’s evaluation was cited. • Program value: presenters said the box contents are worth about $75 even though budget line items indicate $40 per box in program accounting.

Why this matters

Supporters told the council the program addresses food insecurity while producing measurable health improvements in people with cardiovascular disease and diabetes. If the program lapses, providers and participants said, those gains could be lost and participants could return to prior health trajectories that drive emergency care use and higher medication costs.

What speakers asked for next

Program representatives and participants requested help securing funding so the program can continue, and they invited council members to the Oct. 16 documentary showing at Indiana University Northwest. No ordinance or city appropriation was proposed or voted on during the Sept. 16 meeting.

(Reporting note: dollar amounts and grant sources are reported as stated by speakers at the Sept. 16, 2025 Gary Common Council meeting; the federal grant amount was not specified in the meeting remarks.)