FIRST Link

FIRST Link connects patients experiencing food insecurity to food, social, and health services.

FIRST Link (Food Insecurity Resources Screenings Training) was established in 2017 as a collaboration between Food for Change and the Community Assistance Program to increase resources for patients experiencing food insecurity who are referred to the Houston Food Bank. FIRST Link does this by connecting patients within a healthcare setting to food resources, and social and health services.

Why in a healthcare setting?

If a patient doesn’t have access to healthy, nutritious food, it’s hard to maintain good health.

Also, medication can be expensive. In a recent survey, we found that 74% of households seeking food assistance in our network had to choose between paying for food and medicine.

Healthcare providers are paying more attention to how food insecurity affects their patients health. As a food bank, we help to close the loop by connecting patients who are identified as food insecure to food resources in their communities.

*Hunger in America 2014, Houston Food Bank Survey
** Christian A. Gregory, Alisha Coleman-Jensen. Food Insecurity, Chronic Disease, and Health Among Working-Age Adults, ERR-235. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, July 2017.
***Thomas Beaton. “How Payers Can Address Food Insecurity among Plan Beneficiaries.” HealthPayer Intelligence

The Houston Food Bank collaborates with healthcare partners to ensure that their staff are equipped to screen for food insecurity and are aware of food resources provided by HFB. We take the following steps:

  1. Houston Food Bank trains clinic staff about food insecurity. Together, they work to develop a process to start screening neighbors for food insecurity.
  2. Clinic staff screens patients for food insecurity. Patient who are food insecure gets referred to an on-site HFB employee who:
    • Provides application and technical assistance for state-funded social and health services.
    • Refers patient to nearby food pantries
  3. Follow up with patients to see if they have received food resource assistance.

FIRST Link partners can include hospital systems and both adult and pediatric health care center settings. The Houston Food Bank seeks to support healthcare partners in providing tangible resources for their food insecure patients.

If you are interested in applying for SNAP, TANF, or Medicaid/CHIP, please visit any partner below at the days and times listed.

AccessHealth – Richmond Center
400 Austin St,
Richmond, TX 77469
281-342-4530

Legacy Community Health – Lyons Clinic
3811 Lyons Ave
Houston, TX 77020
832-548-5400

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

For questions regarding our Community Assistance Program, please contact our helpline:

832-369-9390