ABBOTT PARK, Ill.  — Abbott and the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) have announced the Innovation Incubator initiative. Eight community health centers have been selected to receive funding, expert guidance and training to design and test new solutions to help to increase access to healthy foods and improve health.

The eight health centers receiving funding through the 2024 Innovation Incubator initiative include:

• Affinia Healthcare, St. Louis
• Asian Health Services, Oakland, Calif.
• Cabin Creek Health Systems, Charleston, W.Va.
• Delaware Valley Community Health, Philadelphia
• White House Clinics, Richmond, Ky.
• Mainline Health Systems, Inc., Monticello, Ark.
• Tri-Area Community Health, Laurel Fork, Va.
• Urban Health Plan, New York

These health centers will develop and test new solutions over six months, putting the unique perspectives, experiences and challenges of their communities at the forefront. Centers will be supported by subject matter experts across diverse fields through individualized coaching and mentoring to help design and implement their projects, from creating community gardens and conducting nutrition education, to providing expectant mothers and people with chronic diseases with the customized nutrition they need.

Each center will be awarded $30,000 and will have a chance to win one of two additional recognition awards at a live competitive pitch session in Fall 2024. NACHC will share the results with 1,400 health centers across the country, informing the care of more than 31 million patients.

One in eight U.S. households (12.8%) experience food insecurity, or lack of access to an affordable, nutritious diet. Studies show that integrating nutritious food into clinical care can help address chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and/or heart disease. Now in its second year, the Innovation Incubator awardees will bring forward innovative ideas to help heath centers across the country improve access to nutritious food as a part of a healthy lifestyle for their patients, regardless of their ZIP code or ability to pay for health services.

“Food insecurity severely impacts the health of underinvested communities,” said NACHC president and CEO Dr. Kyu Rhee. “We’re thrilled to continue our collaboration with Abbott for the second year as the partner of choice in generating innovative solutions for population health. As the nation’s largest primary care network, health centers’ highly effective and innovative integrated model of care reaches beyond the walls of the traditional exam room to not only prevent illness but also address the social drivers that may cause poor health. Our focus this year is to create sustainable, effective strategies that solve food challenges and improve nutrition.”

“Nutritious food is essential for good health, but far too often it’s not available to people who need it,” said Melissa Brotz, president of Abbott Fund and vice president, global marketing and external affairs, Abbott. “We’re excited to work together with NACHC and community health centers across the country to generate innovative and practical ideas to improve access to food, nutrition education and health services to help people live healthier lives.”

With funding support from Abbott, NACHC’s Center for Community Health Innovation and other experts from across the organization launched the inaugural incubator in March 2023, with a focus on finding new ways to break down the “digital divide” in health by addressing key digital and health literacy challenges in communities. Eight health centers across the U.S. participated in the incubator, reaching more than 45,000 people with projects that included accessing telehealth care, understanding and using electronic registration and web portal tools, and meeting language and rural health needs.