UT Physicians, Brighter Bites, and UTHealth Houston School of Public Health Receive $249,577 Grant to Address Health Disparities
UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, UT Physicians, and Brighter Bites have been awarded a $249,577 grant from The Cigna Group Foundation through its Health Equity Impact Fund. This funding supports a new produce prescription program designed to combat food insecurity and improve diabetes management among Hispanic adults in Houston.
The initiative builds on an evidence-based model that enhances access to fresh fruits and vegetables while integrating nutrition education. By leveraging Brighter Bites, a community-based non-profit organization, the program aims to empower Hispanic adults with diabetes by providing biweekly fresh produce boxes and culturally tailored nutrition education. The program also incorporates meal planning resources delivered by registered dietitians (RDs) and community health workers (CHWs) to support healthier dietary habits.
Participants will receive biweekly food boxes (~10-15 pounds each) for six months, along with culturally relevant recipes and cooking tips. The program includes structured education to enhance participants’ understanding of meal planning and diabetes management. Health impact evaluations will track improvements in dietary habits and reductions in hemoglobin A1c/GMI levels, targeting a minimum reduction of 0.3 percentage points pre- and post-intervention. Additional program components include food and nutrition insecurity screenings at clinical sites, personalized nutrition counseling with registered dietitians available in-person or virtually, live and pre-recorded culinary demonstrations to facilitate healthier eating habits, and ongoing data collection to assess food security status, diet quality, and diabetes biomarkers.
“Thanks to this health equity grant from The Cigna Group Foundation, we will be able to integrate fresh food access into healthcare to support Hispanic adults with diabetes,” said Logan Thornton, DrPH, MPH, CHES, PCMH, CCE, CLSSB, Executive Director of Population Health & Evidence-Based Practice at UTHealth Houston. “Our efforts aim to address health equity through a food-is-medicine approach, ensuring that patients not only manage their blood sugar but also experience long-term health improvements beyond the clinical setting. We are grateful for The Cigna Group Foundation’s support in advancing a more equitable and patient-centered model for chronic disease prevention and treatment.”
“To reduce health disparities and target the root causes, we need strong partnerships with local nonprofit organizations committed to ensuring positive health outcomes for all people, especially those who are underserved,” said Melissa Skottegaard, board chair, The Cigna Group Foundation. “This work includes expanding access to key resources, including healthy foods, transportation, and culturally appropriate care. We are privileged to partner with UT Physicians, UTHealth Houston, Brighter Bites, and UTHealth Houston School of Public Health to enable their efforts to bring about equitable outcomes in the communities we both serve.”
Co-investigators on this study include Shreela Sharma, PhD, RDN, LD, director of the Center for Health Equity (CHE) and Maha Almohamad, PhD, MS, research scientist at CHE.
The Cigna Group Health Equity Impact Fund targets regions with significant health disparities and collaborates with nonprofit organizations to drive meaningful change. The fund operates in select U.S. cities, initially focusing on Hartford, CT, and Houston, TX, with a total of $3 million awarded across the two locations.
The Cigna Group Foundation has a longstanding commitment to supporting nonprofits. Recently, it announced a philanthropic initiative committing over $27 million in grants over the next three years. These grants prioritize youth mental health, veteran mental health, and reducing barriers to health equity. The Health Equity Impact Fund is a key component of this initiative, reinforcing The Cigna Group’s dedication to fostering healthier, more equitable communities.
About The Cigna Group
The Cigna Group (NYSE:CI) is a global health company committed to creating a better future built on the vitality of every individual and every community. We relentlessly challenge ourselves to partner and innovate solutions for better health. The Cigna Group includes products and services marketed under Cigna Healthcare, Evernorth Health Services, or its subsidiaries. The Cigna Group maintains sales capabilities in more than 30 countries and jurisdictions and has more than 186 million customer relationships around the world. Learn more at thecignagroup.com.
About The Cigna Group Foundation
The Cigna Group Foundation is a private foundation funded by contributions from The Cigna Group (NYSE:CI) and its subsidiaries. The Cigna Group Foundation aims to support, collaborate, and convene with nonprofit organizations addressing society’s greatest health challenges. In addition to increasing access to programs and care in geographies demonstrating significant need, the Foundation responds with humanitarian aid relief during critical times and strengthens colleagues’ support of causes through matching donations and volunteer rewards. To learn more, visit www.thecignagroup.com/community.