Pat Hardy: Food as Medicine, One Door at a Time

Food as Medicine, One Door at a Time

When Pat Hardy delivers fresh, nutritious foods to participants of MetroHealth’s Food as Medicine (FAM) program, she understands that she may encounter other issues that impact their ability to eat healthily.

“They are in the program for medical reasons, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have social problems,” said Hardy, who recently celebrated her 25^th year at MetroHealth.

FAM is designed to address both.

Listening First

Many are not able to leave their homes to obtain their own fresh foods, so Pat delivers food to the homes of those participants every two weeks. As a result, she establishes a relationship with them. Still, she does not pry about their current situation.

“I don’t bring the issue to the patient; I just ask if there’s anything I can help with,” Pat said. “Most respond that they are OK. I ask them again, which lets them know it’s OK not to be OK. Having them come to me is more important than hounding them.”

That patience and respect often open the door to deeper truths.

Many FAM participants face barriers that extend far beyond access to food: unstable housing, lack of transportation and lack of household essentials.

Pat sees those realities up close.

She recalled one Spanish-speaking woman who did not have a stove or a refrigerator. Not having everyday appliances impacted the woman’s ability to cook and eat healthily, which negatively affected her overall health.

Pat found a way to get a stove and a refrigerator for the woman. That patient broke into tears when she learned of those gifts.

But it’s more than just food delivery for Pat. By meeting the patients at their homes, she builds rapport with them and gains a better understanding of their needs.

Care That Goes Beyond the Clinic

FAM meets patients wherever they are – literally and figuratively.

Not every patient in the FAM program has food delivered. Those who have transportation and can come to the clinic are invited to regularly meet with FAM coordinators and to choose healthy foods from our clinic-based pantry to support their health and that of others in their household.

In 2025, the Food as Medicine program had more than 1,800 in-clinic visits and delivered 265 healthy food packages to patients with significant mobility or transportation challenges.

One patient who started in the FAM program developed mobility issues, so he was no longer able to come into the clinic. That “young man,” as Pat calls him, was so grateful that he wrote a letter to MetroHealth President and CEO Dr. Christine Alexander-Rager to praise Pat for her help.

Though the letter was “heart-touching,” Pat said she doesn’t go to work looking for praise.

“If I can help them handle one social problem, that makes it all worth it,” she added.

Pat knows many more patients only by phone, but she loves interacting with patients in whatever way she can.

Food as a Catalyst for Better Health

Early evaluations show that FAM participants are not only eating better – with increased consumption of fresh vegetables and fewer processed foods – but they are also experiencing measurable health improvements. Patients have seen reductions in A1C levels, hospitalizations and overall healthcare costs.

Without access to healthy food, many would rely on low-cost, low-nutrition options that worsen chronic conditions and lead to emergency care.

FAM interrupts that cycle, replacing it with stability, education and healthier outcomes.

One Household at a Time

FAM is funded entirely through philanthropy. Donor support keeps shelves and refrigerators stocked, enables home delivery, supports nutrition education and helps MetroHealth reach families at greatest risk.

One household at a time, generosity turns food into health and caregivers like Pat into lifelines.

To support the Food as Medicine program, contact Greg Sanders, Vice President of Philanthropy, at 440-592-1319 or gsanders@metrohealth.org. To make an online gift, click here.