A New Multi-Disciplinary Food Security Committee at Los Angeles VA helps Veterans Access Healthy Food

The departments at VAGLAHS will meet monthly in response to this growing nutrition related health crisis.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines “food insecurity” as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. Food security impacts a broad scope of health-related issues such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension, mental health, and certain cancers, according to the VHA Food Security Office. 

“This initiative is not only a demonstration of GLA’s commitment to the welfare of our Veterans, but is also a shining example of the positive impact that can be achieved when individuals and organizations come together with a shared goal,” said Jason Melton, executive officer, VHA Food Security Office, who  attended the Food Security Committee charter signing in November to show support for VAGLAHS’s efforts and thank VA staff there for their hard work. “The workgroup's multi-disciplined approach will undoubtedly lead to tangible and meaningful changes in the lives of Veterans,” said Melton.

Representation from different departments includes Nutrition and Food Services, Whole Health, Medical Service, Office of Strategic, Facility and Master Planning, Center for Engagement and Reintegration Services (CERS), Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team (HPACT), and Center for Development and Civic Engagement (CDCE). This team will work together to help increase access to more resources for Veterans seeking care and for the unhoused Veterans expected to move into the minimum of 1,200 units of housing on campus.

The VHA Food Security Office is also a multi-disciplinary team with representation from nutrition, social work, and nursing clinical fields with a focus on the causes of food insecurity among Veterans. Its mission is to provide resources to VA healthcare systems through partnerships, data management, research, and education to support an interdisciplinary approach to ensure Veteran food security. To learn more about resources available to Veterans, please visit the VHA Food Security Office webpage.

In 2023, 6.4% of Veterans screened at VAGLAHS were positive for food insecurity, compared to 2% nationally, and the rates are five times higher for unhoused Veterans, according to data from the Food Insecurity Summary Dashboard. 

“It’s important to recognize that these basic needs are critically important, and like housing, if we are not addressing these basic needs, then it’s hard to then go ahead and address any other needs, whether it’s medical or mental health; of course we are still going to do that, but it’s important to acknowledge and address this barrier,” said Dr. Peter Capone-Newton, a Whole Health physician at VAGLAHS.

“We are also hoping to increase our screening rates, in order to better serve our Veterans in their personalized nutrition care,” said Shari Kushins-Moore, outpatient nutrition specialty programs manager at VAGLAHS. “As Veterans are better identified, our dietitians are able to customize their nutrition care in order to help Veterans shop and cook on a budget, track seasonality of produce to reduce cost, and utilize healthy and nutritious foods more aligned with their specific health care needs.” 

To learn about nutrition education and services please reach out to the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System Call Center at 877-251-7295, no referral required. Healthy Teaching Kitchen classes related to food insecurity and individual appointments are available as well.

The Committee is currently conducting an environmental survey of available resources and will explore new opportunities to access food through community partnerships, food banks and by expanding existing programs. 

CDCE currently offers weekly and quarterly food distribution programs for Veterans, where they can get fresh produce, non-perishables, and eggs (if available). The weekly distribution events are supported by Westside Food Bank and are held on Wednesdays from noon – 1 p.m. on the east side of building 304 and the quarterly event is held at the West LA VA Medical Center campus on Saturdays from 8 – 11 am. Please visit the VAGLAHS events webpage or contact CDCE office at 310-268-4350 for the next date and the location details. To donate or partner with CDCE, please visit their webpage for more information. 

Whole Health, which runs the Veteran’s Garden program at West Los Angeles VA Medical Center, recently installed 20 additional garden beds for fresh vegetables bringing the total to 40. Jennifer Allen, the Whole Health program manager there, hopes to continue to expand its program. Gardening classes are 9 - 11 a.m. on Wednesday mornings, and walk-ins are welcome. Veterans participating in the program can take with them the produce they grow to make meals at home. The garden also supplies the Healthy Teaching Kitchen class and surplus produce goes to the weekly Wednesday distribution events held by CDCE. For a full list of Whole Health classes, please visit their webpage.

Veterans can also get produce and some non-perishables at The Bandini Foundation’s Heroes Golf Course Food Distribution events held weekly on Mondays from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. (except holidays, when the event will be rescheduled for Tuesday of that week) at building 329 at the West LA VA Medical Center campus. For more information on these events please call 310-473-0710. 

Community resources for food distribution include The Westside Food Bank and the Veteran Peer Access Network (VPAN), which is a community-driven support network serving Veterans and their families. Essentially, VPAN can help with almost anything a Veteran or their family member needs, including food. To connect with VPAN for assistance, call the Veteran Support Line at 800-854-7771, *3 (9 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week), visit one of the Rally Points in Los Angeles County or email veterans@dmh.lacounty.gov.