Growing Solutions: BCHE’s Food Access Report Showcases Partners, Programs, and Next Steps

BCHE’s newest Food Access Report captures what’s been accomplished—not just what’s needed—to strengthen food access and advance health equity on Buffalo’s East Side.

The report highlights practical, community-driven initiatives developed through partnerships, resident engagement, and data-informed action—grounded in the belief that food access is foundational to prevention, wellness, and dignity.

What’s Inside the Report

• Indoor Food Production Facility (Zenner Street): A high-tech, hydroponic, year-round growing operation stewarded by BCHE and operated with Buffalo Go Green—positioned as both an urban agriculture asset and a sustainability model.
• Invest Health / Strategies for Healthier Cities (Buffalo Team): Cross-sector collaboration that helped evolve the City’s “Operation Clean Sweep” into a more restorative and social determinants of health (SDOH)-led, data-driven approach.
• Food as Medicine Pilot (Harvest House / Good Neighbors Healthcare Center): A relocation and partnership strategy aligning food distribution with healthcare touchpoints, nutrition guidance, and self-screening supports.
• Healthy Options Student Engagement Program: A youth-centered wellness and workforce initiative featuring food safety training and certification pathways tied to healthier school communities.

Read the Full Report

This article is a brief introduction. For full details, partners, and outcomes, view the complete BCHE 2025 Food Access Report (PDF).