Caring for the Commonwealth: WellSpan Addresses Food Insecurity

Planting the seeds of better health

October 30, 2026

HAP’s Caring for the Commonwealth series showcases the innovative programs led by Pennsylvania hospitals and health systems—and, most importantly, the difference they make for communities. The series brings these stories to life, highlighting how our members are improving health and creating stronger, healthier communities.

For WellSpan, addressing food insecurity means looking beyond the walls of the health care system and into the communities it serves. The hospital partnered with an 11-acre local farm to improve access to nutritious food while supporting employees, educating children and helping address one of the most fundamental drivers of health: having enough healthy food to eat.

At WellSpan’s Fresh Local Food Project’s conception, more than 7,000 rural residents in the hospital’s two primary service counties were experiencing food insecurity, including some who earned too much to qualify for traditional food assistance programs. Currently these two counties have over 10,000 residents experiencing food insecurity

“The program is an invaluable way to give students a hands-on introduction to farming and show them where their food comes from,” said Sheila Packer, manager of community health.

During a recent school visit from produce farmers, students sampled several types of apples and learned how to make cider. They were able to choose their favorite varieties and take home samples, she said.

Through the partnership, the hospital serves as the farm’s sole financial sponsor, helping offset expenses such as labor, seeds, equipment and supplies. Currently, Dreamcatcher Farm is exploring opportunities to diversify funding through grants, fundraisers and donations.

Some of the produce is made available to hospital employees through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, while about 65 pounds of produce each week is donated to a local food hub for free distribution to community members. Revenue from the employee CSA program is reinvested into food access and education initiatives, including a Farm to School program that has provided nutrition education and hands-on farm experiences to local fifth graders. This year the farm was able to provide the local food hub with close to 3000 pounds of produce, (approximately 120 pounds/week).

Here are a few key takeaways:

• Hungry helper:  Food-insecure residents face a significant gap in available assistance; 52 percent of food-insecure individuals in the hospital’s home county had incomes above the threshold for hunger assistance programs.
• Room for growth: The partnership allowed the farm to more than double its annual production, from approximately 2,000 pounds of produce before the partnership to more than 4,000 pounds annually. This year the farm was able to produce over 5000 pounds of produce.
• Payment options:  The employee CSA program provides fresh produce at fair market value, with convenient payment options. There also is an on-site pop up produce stand as well as a WellSpan employee pop up stand at the farm.
• Education for healthy future:  During the 2025-2026 school year, 365 fifth-grade students from two different school districts participated in the Farm to School program. Students learned about various types of farming and food production, healthy foods, processed foods, the importance of water and nutrition and more. The program is a year long program with farmers coming into the schools to educate on various types of farming. The program ends with field trips to Dreamcatcher Farm and a local dairy farm, which is a student favorite.

 “They love it. The students cannot wait to go on the farming field trips. The fourth graders are excited for when it will be their turn next year,” Packer said.

 

• Quotable: “For us at WellSpan, our Farm to School partnerships speak to our commitment to building vibrant communities and serve as a nod to the significance of farming, agriculture and healthy, local foods in our community. The program also aligns with our Good Food, Healthy Hospitals commitment through HAP!” said Stephanie L. Voight, senior director of community health.

HAP's Caring for the Commonwealth series presents impactful programs led by our members. If you have an interesting story to share, please contact Kim Yakowski,HAP Media Relations Manager.