Rural Food Locker Program

2026-11-03

The Department of Veterans Affairs Food Security Office ’ s ( FSO ) vision is to create an environment where all Veterans are food and nutrition secure . The mission of the Food Security Office is to provide resources to VA healthcare systems through partnerships , data management , and research and education to support an interdisciplinary approach to ensure Veteran food security . FSO is organizationally situated within the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Clinical Services . VHA FSO is partnering with the Office of Rural Health ( ORH ) to expand food locker programing . FSO is advancing a West Palm Beach proof of concept to expand food locker programming across five rural and highly rural sites . The Enterprise - Wide Initiative ( EWI ) uses an interdisciplinary framework designed to connect Veterans with reliable food resources and comprehensive wraparound services that address health related social needs . Food lockers are secure food distribution sites for Veterans who are experiencing food insecurity so that they may access healthy food , especially for Veterans who cannot reach traditional food pantries during limited hours or who face transportation , stigma , or scheduling barriers . Veterans enrolled in the Food Locker Program have been screened positive for food insecurity and have diet related diseases . The Veterans will be given a “ prescription ” for medically tailored groceries to be placed in a locker providing accessibility to the Veteran in a dignified , convenient mannerThe lockers will properly store perishable and non - perishable items for Veterans that are food insecure and / or at risk for food insecurity . The system is intended to expand access to nutritious foods to Veterans by having a secure storage system to prevent food from spoiling . This unit will be accessible twenty - four hours a day seven days a week . This decreases barriers such as a Veteran ’ s work schedule or transportation . The food lockers allow for customization options for medically tailored groceries to promote food medicine programming . Dietitians can prescribe customized grocery bags to address diet related diseases to include but not limited to cardiovascular grocery bags and diabetes grocery bags .

Maryland

2026-05-02