A community–health system partnership to implement a food prescription program

Background: Link Health is a Boston-based non-profit leveraging in-person and digital platforms to promote health equity.Its primary aim is to financially support low-income individuals through enrollment in federal benefit programs.This study examines the monetary impact of enrollment through Link Health.Objective: We consider the effectiveness of several benefit programs in supporting low-income individuals with an emphasis on monetary value.Methods: Approximately 14,454 individuals have been screened for eligibility via digital outreach, community events, and in-person clinics.Enrollment and financial distributions were evaluated across programs, including the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), Lifeline, LIHEAP, transitional aid (TAFDC), and supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP).Results: A total of 3028 individuals were successfully enrolled between November 2022 and January 2025, distributing over $3.4 million in aid.The largest contributors to this sum included: ACP: 1086 enrollments, $390,960 distributed annually Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA): 72 enrollments, $1,152,000 distributed annually Lifeline: 1794 enrollments, $199,134 distributed annually HEAP: 26 enrollments, $50,700 distributed annually SNAP: 123 enrollments, $369,000 distributed annually TAFDC: 124 enrollments, $1,059,456 distributed annually Conclusions: These results highlight the role of targeted outreach and effective enrollment processes in promoting access to federal benefit programs.High enrollment rates in ACP and Lifeline demonstrate a considerable need for affordable broadband and internet services.Programs like CCFA and TAFDC, despite lower enrollment numbers, provide sizable support per individual.This analysis advocates for continued funding of federal benefit programs.Future efforts can be made to develop screening tools that identify eligibility for multiple programs and reduce the complexity of enrollment.