HOUSTON (April 13, 2026)
— Della Harris, a stroke survivor of three years, has made great strides in her recovery to relearn to walk and talk again. Her stroke also revealed her unmanaged diabetes — a condition she’s had for more than 15 years that she’s now eager to control.
In February, the Harris Health patient began that journey by enrolling in the system’s Food Rx Program at Harris Health Casa de Amigos Health Center. Food Rx, a food program designed for people with unmanaged diabetes and food insecurity, combines personalized nutrition education with access to healthy nutritious foods every two weeks — participants receive 30 pounds of fruits, vegetables and proteins. A tandem of dietitians and community health workers teach patients about food selection, portion control and food preparation for healthy eating.
“I wasn’t the type of person who ate the right foods. I always ate what I wanted and didn’t think too much about how it affected me,” she admits. “Thanks to Food Rx, I know about foods, what they do for me, and the experience of eating fruits and vegetables has allowed me to branch out and try new things.”
Since enrolling in the program, Harris, 63, has been feeling better and losing some weight. Aside from her educational sessions, she appreciates the convenience of picking up her food items from new refrigerated food lockers. Recently, a new set of refrigerated food lockers were installed at Harris Health Quentin Mease Health Center.
“Convenient and modern,” Harris says. “It’s about getting fresh and nutritious food when I can, and that’s a huge plus for me.”
Through a collaboration with the Houston Food Bank and thanks to a $500,000 sponsorship grant from Cigna Healthcare, the lockers are an enhancement to Harris Health’s Food Rx Program that includes seven Food Farmacies (food markets located within health centers) and three community redemption sites – collaborations with existing neighborhood food pantries to supply food items.
The sponsorship covers the cost and operation of the lockers, including installation, annual maintenance, software, cellular routers, antennas, and other expenses. Each locker can maintain the 30 pounds of food given to patients and provided by the Houston Food Bank, provide 24-hour access and is available for language preferences.
“Ensuring our patients have the resources they need to be successful and meeting them where they need us, is what we at Harris Health aim to provide all our patients,” says Jennifer Small, AuD, CEO, Ambulatory Care Services, Harris Health. “Making their participation in our Food Rx program more convenient will help them achieve success in managing their condition and improving their lives.”
Since its inception in 2019, the program has enrolled nearly 6,000 patients who account for about 65,000 patient visits and distributed more than 2.1 million pounds of food.
“We are deeply proud to stand alongside Harris Health to expand the Food Rx program and extend its reach to more individuals and families across the community,” says Kimberly Funderburk, president, Government, Education and Health Systems, Cigna Healthcare. “This work reflects a shared commitment to improving the health and vitality of those we serve and our communities by increasing access to the healthy, nutritious food that supports individuals and their families, particularly those managing chronic conditions.”
Consistently, Food Rx patients who have gone through the program show an average 1.1%-point decrease in A1C, the three-month measure of glucose. Among patients with a 9% A1C, considered unmanaged levels, results show a 2%-point decrease.
"By providing 24-hour access to nutritious food, we are seeing a direct, measurable improvement in patient health,” says Brian Greene, president and CEO, Houston Food Bank. “The Food RX program in collaboration with Harris Health proves that when we remove barriers to nutrition, we change the trajectory of chronic disease."
Della Harris credits her newfound well-being as a reason to pursue her love of higher education and work toward a bachelor's degree in communications and public relations. She hopes this opens her opportunities to share her story and continue her animal rescue efforts — already accounting for 200 dog rescues in her neighborhood.
“That’s real progress in managing chronic disease,” says Maria De La Cruz, director, Care Integration, Harris Health. “These results reflect what matters most: more patients with dignified access to healthy food, nutrition education and support for managing chronic disease. We also hear from patients that this helps stretch dollars and supports their families to eat healthier.”