According to a Dec. 9 press release, the New York-based Unite Us, an enterprise technology company, announced a partnership with Bento, a Venice, Calif-based service that addresses food insecurity through a proprietary patient engagement platform.
The release states that “This platform connects individuals and families with nutritiously curated, prepaid meals from restaurants and grocery stores via text messages. The companies are joining forces when the pandemic has led to a drastic increase in the rate of food insecurity in our country.”
Further, “Food insecurity is an ongoing issue in the U.S. In 2019, more than 35 million Americans struggled to obtain enough food or were uncertain of where their next meal would come from. The pandemic worsened what had been an improving issue, and it's estimated that nearly 30 percent of all American households with children experienced food insecurity at some point in 2020. Underserved communities—including communities of color and rural populations—are disproportionately impacted by hunger and other social issues that affect overall health and well-being. By addressing hunger first, individuals are empowered, and the difficult choice between feeding their children and seeking out other social services or expensive medical care is eliminated.”
Adam Dole, COO of Bento was quoted in the release saying that "This partnership with Unite Us is exciting because together, we'll be able to more effectively identify those at risk of food insecurity and get out ahead of this issue on a larger scale in the United States. We believe that addressing someone's most basic human need for nutritious food in a convenient and dignified way is the first step towards improving people's quality of life and driving better healthcare outcomes."
The release explains that by integrating Bento’s platform and services with Unit Us’ coordinated care network, the organizations will be able to collaborate to serve and increase nutritious and convenient food choices for individuals in disparate communities in the U.S. “Service providers who use the Unite Us network to coordinate with community-based organizations in underserved regions securely will be able to electronically refer to Bento to help their clients access healthy, nutritious meals for themselves and their families from local restaurants stigma-free, just like any other customer,” the release adds.
Bento is currently available in 10 metropolitan areas with plans to expand with the Unite Us networks to serve broader communities.
