Feeding Westchester and DoorDash welcomed media yesterday for an inside look at a fast-growing, innovative food access program that is transforming how nutritious food reaches Medicaid recipients across Westchester County. Through the Federal Government’s 1115 Medicaid Waiver, this initiative connects eligible residents experiencing food insecurity with weekly deliveries of medically tailored food, brought directly to their doorstep by DoorDash drivers (“Dashers”).
The distribution showcased the full operation in motion: volunteers organizing hundreds of boxes of shelf-stable food, Dashers lining up to receive their packages, and Feeding Westchester’s team coordinating the process. The program, which began this summer, has quickly scaled from one recipient to 174 boxes delivered this week, with 10–15 new participants added every week.
A New Way to Reach Neighbors in Need
The program is possible because of the federal government’s 1115 Medicaid Waiver, which allows states to opt in and identify social care needs—such as food insecurity—that qualify for Medicaid-funded support. In the our region, the Hudson Valley Care Coalition (HVCC) was selected to oversee the program, screening Medicaid beneficiaries and referring eligible individuals to Feeding Westchester for nutrition services.
Once enrolled, participating households receive a 23-pound box of shelf-stable, medically tailored food every week for six months. Each box provides a nutritious balance, enough for three meals a day for seven days. On Wednesday mornings, DoorDash drivers arrive at Feeding Westchester’s distribution center, where they load 10 boxes each for delivery to 10 households across Westchester County. Each delivery functions like a standard DoorDash order — allowing Dashers to earn income while helping neighbors in need.
“This is a whole new set-up for us,” said Brad Kerner, VP of Community Engagement & Impact at Feeding Westchester. “It stretched our thinking around operations, but we’re always trying to
meet the need because we know that more than 1 in 3 households in Westchester are at risk of hunger. When we learned there was an opportunity through Medicaid to help people get the food they need, we wanted to be there.”
Project DASH Brings Local Logistics to Hunger Relief
The partnership is powered by Project DASH, DoorDash’s initiative that enables food banks and community organizations to use DoorDash’s last-mile delivery network to reach people facing food insecurity.
“Project DASH is our initiative to partner with nonprofits like Feeding Westchester that can use DoorDash for delivery services,” said Daniel Riff, Head of Government & Nonprofit Operations at DoorDash. “For people who don’t have access to transportation or who are homebound, this program ensures they can get nutritious food delivered directly to their door. We’ve done more than 8 million deliveries nationwide, and we’re really excited about this partnership with Feeding Westchester.”
A Growing Solution
As SNAP benefits decrease and cost of living rises, more residents are turning to emergency food services, but many face barriers such as limited mobility, disability, lack of transportation, or work schedules that make visiting a pantry difficult. This program seeks to eliminate those barriers.
“This model keeps people off food pantry lines and gives them back valuable time to focus on their health, their families, and their lives,” Kerner said. “At the same time, it provides earning opportunities for local Dashers. Everyone benefits.”
With demand increasing each week, Feeding Westchester anticipates the program will serve 300 households in the coming weeks.