Nutritious food takes many forms. Crisp vegetables, hearty grains, proteins that sustain. Our volunteers pack each item knowing it will land on a neighbor’s table when they need it most.
The NOURISH program is how Golden Harvest Food Bank works alongside health care providers to identify and respond to food insecurity, helping connect people to the food they need as part of their care.
It began in 2020 through a partnership with an Augusta-based clinic that wanted a better way to support patients who may not have consistent access to nutritious food. The clinic introduced a simple screening tool so staff could recognize when someone might be struggling, and those patients were then connected with nearby pantries, SNAP information, and additional support.
A professor at Augusta University later worked with case managers to understand what happened next. What they found was clear. Even when people were connected to resources, barriers like transportation and time often made it difficult to follow through.
That insight led to a simple but powerful shift. Instead of asking patients to go somewhere else for help, food could be provided right there at the clinic. Golden Harvest began supplying pre-packed boxes of nutritious food on site, making sure every patient identified as food insecure could leave with food in hand that same day.
In the past year, NOURISH has expanded to additional clinics in Richmond County, Jefferson County, and Allendale, reaching more neighbors where health care and hunger intersect. The food boxes have also been strengthened, with items carefully selected using healthy eating guidelines so each one supports better health.
As NOURISH prepares to expand and welcome new clinic partners, this work continues to show that access to nutritious food is an essential part of health.
