Growing Health from the Ground Up
How Community-Led Food Solutions are Tackling North Carolina’s Biggest Health Challenges
Imagine living without access to the foods you need to stay healthy. For many North Carolinians, this is a daily reality—and one that comes with real consequences for both health and household finances. Across our state, lack of access to nutritious food is driving diet-related chronic conditions. These conditions drive higher medical costs, missed work, and financial stress for many families. In fact, diet-related chronic conditions are one of the largest, most preventable cost drivers in North Carolina, costing communities $65 billion in medical costs, draining local communities and economies.
Unfortunately care often starts too late. Many of these chronic conditions could be better managed or prevented with improved diets. That’s why communities are moving upstream to solve these types of health challenges before they start—by harnessing the power of food for better health and lower costs.
The Leaders Who Stepped Up
Long before "Food is Medicine" became a national phrase, North Carolina’s community leaders were working to improve health through food.
Donyel Barber, a Gastonia native and social worker, saw the gap between what clinicians and dieticians were recommending and what her neighbors could actually put on their tables. She launched RAMS Kitchen (Really Amazing Meals with Soul) in 2021. Today, it operates as a partnership between Highland Neighborhood Association and Kintegra Health, providing healthy prepared meals for the community including medically tailored meals specifically for people living with diabetes.
“RAMS Kitchen started because we saw our neighbors being told to eat healthier without having real access to healthy food. Partnering with the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation helped us close that gap in a big way. Their support gave us the room to grow, to connect food more closely to health care, and to really meet people where they are. Working together, we’ve been able to show that when you invest in community-led solutions, food can truly become part of healing.”
Donyel Barber, Founder and Director of RAMS Kitchen
More than 100 miles east of Donyel Barber, Rev. Richard Joyner, pastor of Conetoe Missionary Baptist Church, witnessed congregants dying prematurely from preventable health conditions, often because healthy food was too expensive, too far away, or both. His conviction that faith communities must address the root causes of poverty and poor health led him to found the Conetoe Family Life Center (CFLC).
Originally begun as a way to teach young people to grow food and build capacity to care for neighbors, CFLC is now a nationally recognized model for addressing the unique barriers to food access that rural communities often face. Today, Rev. Joyner works arm-in-arm with regional healthcare systems, universities, and other faith and civic organizations – demonstrating the power of cross-sector collaboration.
“In Conetoe, we’ve always believed that food is about more than eating. It’s about dignity, health, and taking care of one another. The Blue Cross NC Foundation didn’t just support our work, they trusted it. Because of that partnership, we’ve been able to reach more families, grow more food, and connect healthy meals with real health support. When we work together like this, it shows what’s possible when communities are given the tools to lead their own way forward.”
Rev. Joyner, Founder and CEO of CFLC
A Program Shaped by Local Voices
Organizations like RAMS Kitchen and CFLC inspired Blue Cross North Carolina and the Blue Cross NC Foundation to launch its Health Through Food initiative in 2025. Building on more than 25 years of commitment to food and nutrition security, the Blue Cross NC Foundation is a leading supporter of innovative community-based Food is Medicine programs throughout the state, which has elevated North Carolina to the forefront of the Food is Medicine movement.
Partnering with RAMS Kitchen in 2022 was a natural fit. The organization didn’t just need funding; it also needed technical assistance. The Blue Cross NC Foundation has been able to support both needs. Today, RAMS Kitchen provides community members with affordable, healthy meals. The kitchen also serves Blue Cross NC members who are enrolled in diabetes health programs.
In addition, the Blue Cross NC Foundation has also supported CFLC’s Food is Medicine efforts since 2022, which operate in partnership with ECU Health and other community partners. This includes a range of services, from free, fresh produce and recipes distributed at a local clinic to on‑site blood pressure, blood sugar, and A1C screenings provided by the ECU Health team.
RAMS Kitchen and CFLC are proving that embedding food access into health care in partnership with communities can make a huge difference in health and economic outcomes.
“The resulting impact when you combine philanthropy and business to drive solutions is something that no single grant could achieve alone. We tested it, we learned from it, we piloted it through community partnerships — and now we're bringing these solutions to more people across the state to improve health outcomes.”
Colleen Briggs, Blue Cross NC Foundation President
Colleen Briggs, Blue Cross NC Foundation President
Now, 25 years in, these types of partnerships are helping more North Carolinians stay healthier by reimagining the role of food in health care.
This story is part of the Blue Cross NC Foundation's 25th Anniversary series, spotlighting the partnerships and community leaders driving better health outcomes and more affordable care across North Carolina.
