Having access to fresh, affordable, and culturally relevant food options is a pillar of maintaining good health. Still, too many of our neighbors struggle to nourish themselves and their families due to rising food prices, a lack of nearby grocery stores, and inadequate public transportation. The structural inequities that shape our access to food and nutrition— including income inequality, racial residential segregation, and unequal geographic distribution of supermarkets— create what urban farming activist Karen Washington calls food apartheid: “a system of segregation that divides those with access to an abundance of nutritious food and those who have been denied that access due to systemic injustice.”

Food apartheid in Boston disproportionately impacts low-income, Black and Latinx families. Inequitable access to food and good nutrition compounds pre-existing health disparities in these communities, including higher rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. In response, public demand for food pantry services and cost-reduced grocery options has exploded since 2020. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, calls to Project Bread’s Food Source Hotline in Boston increased by 262%, and applications for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) increased by 400%. Along with statewide policy changes, including the creation of Boston’s Office for Food Justice in 2023, community-based organizations have been working tirelessly to fill gaps in nutritious, affordable food access.

At Whittier, we see firsthand how food insecurity affects the health and well-being of our patients. Almost 50% of our low-income patients have reported struggling to access affordable and quality food sources, reflecting trends in food scarcity across our service area. That’s why we remain committed to addressing the root causes of food apartheid through our Food Pantry and Community Garden, which serve our community by:

• Expanding access to fresh, locally-grown produce
• Providing hands-on gardening experience to those without the means to grow their own food
• Offering free, shelf-stable groceries and pantry staples to Whittier patients and non-patients
• Connecting our patients with nutrition education and support, including nutritionists and chronic disease case management through our Prescription for Health Program

Together, these programs do more than provide food—they foster better health outcomes, community empowerment, and social justice. Now more than ever, our food and nutrition programs play a critical role in our mission to deliver health equity and reduce social and economic inequities in Boston’s underserved neighborhoods. To learn more or schedule a Food Pantry appointment, please visit https://www.wshc.org/programs/prescription-for-health/ or call 617-989-3152.