During a routine patient visit, TMH dietitian Cierra Mathis was talking with a patient about how nutrition could help manage their health.
But as the conversation continued, something became clear.
The patient wasn’t just struggling with what to eat. They weren’t sure where their next meal would come from.
Moments like that stayed with Cierra.
“At that point, it’s hard to talk about managing a chronic disease through nutrition,” she said. “Because the real issue isn’t understanding what foods are healthy, it’s whether there’s food available at all.”
Caring for patients often means looking beyond a diagnosis and seeing the whole person. For Cierra, that perspective led to an initiative that is now helping patients facing an often-unseen challenge: food insecurity.
A Passion That Started Early
Cierra’s path to becoming a clinical dietitian began long before she entered the healthcare field.
Growing up in a rural community, she had the opportunity to participate in a pre-health organization that introduced her to volunteering alongside healthcare professionals. Through those experiences, she noticed something that would shape her future career.
“As I spent more time around patients and healthcare teams, I started seeing that many of the conditions physicians were treating were connected to what patients were eating,” Cierra said. “It made me realize how important nutrition really is and how often it’s overlooked.”
Over time, that understanding deepened.
She saw firsthand how nutrition plays a critical role in managing chronic conditions but isn’t always a major focus in traditional medical training.
“Many healthcare professionals don’t get a lot of education on nutrition early on,” she explained. “But that’s starting to change as healthcare continues to evolve and we better understand how everything is connected.”
That realization led Cierra to become a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist, a role where she could help patients take meaningful steps toward better health.
But in working closely with patients, she noticed that some patients weren’t struggling with knowledge. They were struggling with access.
A Simple Idea That Grew into Something Bigger
About two years ago, Cierra took action. She began collecting donated food items across TMH and personally assembling bags for patients who screened positive for food insecurity.
She sorted donations, checked expiration dates and packed the bags mostly by herself.
What started as a small effort quickly revealed a much larger need.
This year, the initiative is expanding with the support of the Sodexo Nutrition Team and the TMH Foundation through a new patient food drive that allows colleagues and donors to contribute in an even more impactful way.
Instead of relying only on donated items, contributions help purchase nutritious, shelf-stable foods that can be distributed consistently to patients who need them most.
A gift of $15 provides a bag of nutritious food for a patient, and the TMH Foundation is matching donations up to $2,500 to help extend the impact.
Together, this effort ensures patients have access to nourishment so they can focus on healing and recovery.
Food Access Matters
Patients are identified through routine screenings that help care teams understand social factors affecting health, including access to food. When a patient indicates they may be experiencing food insecurity, they are offered a food bag and connected with additional community resources.
For Cierra, the goal is not just about providing food.
It’s about helping patients feel seen and supported.
“I’ve had a patient receive a bag and start crying,” she recalled. “I don’t think it was shame. I think it was relief — that someone was finally looking at the whole picture and not just the reason they were referred.”
Food insecurity can directly affect health outcomes, especially for patients managing chronic conditions like diabetes. Without reliable access to food, it becomes much harder to follow treatment plans or maintain stable health.
“It’s a basic need,” Cierra said. “We can’t expect someone to focus on managing their health if they’re having to decide between buying food or paying for medication.”
The Power of Community Support
The response from colleagues across TMH has been encouraging, with many eager to donate and help expand the program and ensure food bags are available wherever patients may need them, from outpatient clinics to hospital units.
Looking ahead, Cierra hopes the effort will continue to grow and reach even more patients. One long-term vision is the possibility of a food pharmacy at TMH, where patients could regularly access nutritious foods alongside education and support.
But even now, each bag makes a meaningful difference.
“If someone is considering donating, I want them to know they’re providing something tangible for a patient,” Cierra said. “It shows that someone cares.”
And that message can matter just as much as the food itself.
How You Can Help
The Sodexo Nutrition Team and TMH are working together to support patients facing food insecurity.
Your gift can make a tangible difference in a patient’s ability to focus on healing and recovery.
- $15 provides one food bag for a patient
- TMH Foundation will match colleague donations up to $2,500
- To make a gift visit: TMH.ORG/Nourish
Together, we can make sure TMH patients are nourished in more ways than one.
