New York’s largest health system, Northwell Health, and Instacart (NASDAQ: CART), a leading grocery technology company in North America, have announced a new partnership through the Instacart Health initiative. This collaboration aims to enhance access to nutritious food, promote sustainable healthy choices, and expand food-as-health programs within Northwell’s diverse communities.
“Health is more than just the care we provide in our hospitals and doctors’ offices. It’s also about uplifting our communities and raising our expectations of what health can be,” said Debbie Salas-Lopez, MD, MPH, Senior Vice President of Northwell’s Office of Community Wellness and Population Health. “By contributing over $2 billion annually in community benefits, Northwell is committed to comprehensive community health efforts. This partnership with Instacart will offer valuable tools and resources for accessing nutritious foods for our staff, patients, and communities.”
The partnership will utilize Instacart Health tools to support targeted programs addressing social determinants of health, including access to healthy food and transportation.
“Food is Health. Meeting the needs of the communities we serve is crucial, which is why we sought out this partnership with Instacart,” said Michael Dowling, President and CEO of Northwell.
The first initiative of this collaboration integrates Instacart Health tools into Northwell’s Center for Maternal Health Maternal Outcomes and Morbidity Collaborative (MOMS). This program aims to improve access to fresh and nutritious food for expectant mothers experiencing food insecurity. Northwell is focusing on addressing maternal health disparities in Black and Brown communities, using Instacart Health Fresh Funds, category-specific online grocery stipends, and Northwell’s Healthy Choices Storefront on Instacart to provide nutrition guidance and support during pregnancies.
“Instacart provides families nationwide with the convenience of same-day delivery from their favorite stores, reaching over 98% of U.S. households. Partnering with Northwell Health allows us to leverage our scale and Health tools to create impactful nutrition access and education programs that tackle real community challenges,” said Sarah Mastrorocco, Vice President and General Manager of Instacart Health. “Research shows that a healthy diet during pregnancy can significantly improve both maternal and infant health and reduce the risk of common complications. By offering our Fresh Funds stipends and tools, we’re supporting programs that contribute to healthier communities.”
