What if the most powerful prescription your doctor could write wasn't for a pill — it was for food?
In this episode of Stick a Fork in It, Shannon sits down with Lisa Bell, Director of Community Benefit at BayCare Health System, to explore one of Tampa Bay's most innovative healthcare partnerships. BayCare has invested $500 million in community benefit in 2025 alone — and a big piece of that is partnering with Feeding Tampa Bay to tackle hunger head-on.
They're not just talking about it. They're doing it:
- 38,000 healing bags delivered to food-insecure patients leaving the hospital
- 42 school pantries serving students AND their families across four counties
- A groundbreaking medically tailored meals pilot program treating patients through nutrition — not just medicine
This conversation digs into what it really means when a hospital system decides that keeping people healthy starts long before they walk through the ER doors. Lisa shares how data, dignity, and a deep commitment to community are driving real change — and why the partnership between BayCare and Feeding Tampa Bay is a model for the entire country. If you believe food is medicine, this episode will prove it.