HAP Achievement Awards: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

June 27, 2025

HAP's annual Achievement Awards honor hospitals and health systems for their innovation, creativity, and commitment to patient care. The Achievement Awards showcase and share member hospitals’ and health systems’ successful programs and best practices.

The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania received the Community Champions Award for a nurse-led program addressing food insecurity through innovation and collaboration.

Here’s what you need to know:

• The challenge:  High food insecurity, poor maternal health outcomes, and limited clinical engagement disrupted care continuity and left community needs unmet.
• Addressing the Issue:  Structural inequities—such as limited access to nutritious, culturally appropriate food, stigma around food insecurity, and inadequate clinician training in social determinants of health—drove these disparities.
• Taking Action:  Through a nurse-led, trauma-informed approach, the hospital created a comprehensive food security program that provides culturally sensitive, medically tailored groceries; delivers bedside and outpatient support; and connects patients with education, resources, and community-based care.
• Results:  Since 2020, the program has distributed nearly 100,000 pounds of food, increased access to nutritious, patient-preferred groceries, strengthened connections between clinical care and community needs, and expanded to a second site to reach more individuals facing food insecurity.
• Advancing Care:  The team developed a detailed playbook to help others build similar programs and remains committed to sharing what they've learned. In their words, “We are willing to help any other organization begin a similar program and are confident that they will be able to achieve similar success.”

Congratulations to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania for its outstanding efforts to advance the health and well-being of its community. Learn more about the project online.

Questions about the HAP Achievement Awards may be directed to HAP Member Services at (717) 561-5359.