Although there is no evidence that Hippocrates said these words 2,400 years ago, his wisdom is being put to work in the here-and-now on New York’s Staten Island in a unique Civilian-Veteran (“Civ-Vet”) partnership.

Epicured, a leading “food-is-medicine” healthcare company, has partnered with the Staten Island Service Member/Veteran (SMVF) Taskforce , the Staten Island Performing Provider System (SIPPS) and Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health to implement the "Fair Start" program – an initiative aimed at demonstrating how access to healthy food, regular primary care, public health resources, and exercise can significantly improve health outcomes for Veterans and Active Duty service members, Medicaid recipients, college students and NYCH residents.

In an interview with Larry Clark, the company’s CFO, he shared details about the company's expanding interest in veteran partnerships. In addition to collaborating with the Veteran focused Fair Start program, Epicured also is collaborating with the another SIPPS program, the New York State Waiver 1115 Medicaid program where the Cesspino-Russo American Legion Post 1544 acts as a staging area for delivery of “pantry boxes” to 1,115 Staten Island Medicaid recipients.

As the money guy, Clark particularly appreciates the program’s return on investment (ROI). “It aims to prevent or manage chronic conditions like diabetes and end-stage renal disease as an alternative healthcare approach. Think of it this way. Providing Epicured meals for two years to these thousand-plus participants is equivalent in cost to dealing with only one personal ER visit for each of them. Where would you put your money?”

Charity as an Additional Vector between Epicured and Veterans

When Michael Matthews, SIPPS Director of Veterans Programs, approached Epicured with a donation request for their “Operation Debt-Day” campaign to raise $50,000 to wipe out $1,000,000 nationally in veteran debt, and meet more immediate financial needs of Staten Island veterans and active duty military, it was met with a carefully thought-through “yes.”

“The decision to donate to a campaign relieving Staten Island veteran and military debt was unusual but compelling. Given that, and due to our deep respect for the veteran community and the potential to improve lives, how could we say no?” Larry said. 

“Here again, with our focus on considering the ROI of our decisions, how can you beat the investment of a nickel on the dollar to have this sort of impact? This is the first donation our company has made to a public charity.”