Affinia Healthcare is one of eight community health centers across the U.S. selected to receive a $30,000 grant to participate in the National Association of Community Health Center (NACHC) Innovation Incubator. The St. Louis-based community health center will use the funds to develop an urban garden to increase access to healthy foods in areas considered a food desert.

The urban garden is planned for the grounds adjacent to Affinia Healthcare location at 2524 Hadley and Grace Hill Chapel of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri, with a start date to be determined. The Affinia Healthcare Urban Garden will help address hunger in the 63106 zip code, which is considered a food desert.

The NACHC and global healthcare company, Abbott, selected eight community health centers to participate in the Innovation Incubator to find new ways to integrate healthy food into clinical care.

Affinia Healthcare’s aim is to serve residents who have diabetes, pregnant women, unhoused individuals and other special populations with diabetes.

“We work to meet the needs of our patients by providing necessary resources to support optimal nutritional health,” said Kristen Gore, Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Director. “Providing our community with this garden is an opportunity to help patients access fresh foods and see how these preventative measures can improve their health.”

Through a competitive process, the eight health centers across the U.S. were selected based on their submitted proposals. The health centers will also have a chance to win one of two additional recognition awards at a live competitive pitch session in the fall.