Meals on Wheels of Greenville graduates from National Food is Medicine Coalition Accelerator Program, begins accreditation process and medically tailored meals pilot

Meals on Wheels Greenville has graduated from The Food is Medicine Coalition (FIMC) Accelerator Program. This milestone underscores and builds on the organization’s commitment to serving seniors and the homebound across Greenville County while integrating medically tailored nutrition into healthcare.

Throughout the 10-month program, Meals on Wheels Greenville staff visited peer organizations, received hands-on training and engaged in discussions on operations, meal packing, delivery and best practices. This experience provided valuable insight into how Meals on Wheels Greenville can expand its reach and impact by developing new initiatives that advance health and nutrition in the Upstate.

Building on this foundation, Meals on Wheels Greenville has begun the accreditation process with FIMC to ensure high-quality, consistent medically tailored meal interventions that clients and healthcare partners can trust.

As a direct outcome of this work, Meals on Wheels Greenville has announced plans to launch RxMeals, South Carolina’s first Food is Medicine pilot, which will deliver medically tailored meals (MTM) to patients managing chronic medical conditions. Set to begin in 2026, RxMeals will complement the organization’s core mission by elevating the nutrition and taste of all meals while delivering specialized support to patients managing chronic medical conditions. The program also represents an important opportunity to more intentionally connect healthcare and nutrition and generate real-world data linking better meals to better health outcomes.

“Nutrition is a cornerstone of health, yet many patients leave medical appointments without the resources needed to put dietary recommendations into practice,” said Taylor Lanford, director of nutrition services at Meals on Wheels Greenville. “We’re grateful to our partners for recognizing the importance of nutrition in healthcare and seizing the opportunity to participate in RxMeals, a program that delivers meals tailored to support each patient’s medical needs.”

A designated Meals on Wheels Greenville staff driver will make deliveries, while ensuring HIPAA-compliant practices that protect patients’ privacy. The program will also be closely monitored to track patient health outcomes and cost savings for local healthcare providers.

The FIMC defines “Food is Medicine” as a healthcare approach that integrates medically tailored nutrition interventions into the treatment and management of chronic diseases. This concept emphasizes that food can serve as a form of medical therapy, particularly for individuals with diet-related health conditions. Meals will be specifically designed in coordination with a registered dietitian nutritionist to meet the unique needs of individuals with chronic illnesses, with the goal of improving health outcomes and reducing hospitalizations.