Published on February 04, 2025
Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Medical Center Partners in the “Food is Medicine” Initiative
Last week, alongside the UK Cooperative Extension Service and the Grayson County Healthcare Foundation, we hosted a discussion on “Food is Medicine” event featuring Jonathan Shell, Kentucky’s Commissioner of Agriculture. The event was held at the Grayson County Cooperative Extension Service in Leitchfield, Kentucky, and featured a delicious menu with meats and produce sourced from local farmers.
This initiative underscores the importance of food in enhancing our health and well-being. In partnership with the Kentucky Hospital Association (KHA), the Kentucky Department of Agriculture is supporting the future growth of agriculture in Kentucky, impacting food insecurity and access to locally grown nutritious foods.
“This event brought together community members from unique backgrounds, fostering collaboration. Following the commissioner’s and KHA’s best practices, I look forward to keeping these partners connected and leveraging resources to improve our community's health,” said Jessica Embry, Community Engagement Coordinator.
We are excited to highlight Commissioner Jonathan Shell’s commitment to advancing this initiative statewide. Successful events, like last October’s roundtable in Owensboro at Owensboro Health Regional Hospital, reflect our focus on collaboration.
With strong leadership and KHA support, we’re fostering partnerships among farmers, hospitals, and local organizations to positively impact the community. Additionally, Owensboro Health collaborates with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and has representation on the state “Food is Medicine” steering committee.
Owensboro Health is proud to be part of our communities. Together, we can build a healthier and stronger future!
Check out these photos from the event!



About Owensboro Health
Owensboro Health is a nonprofit health system with a mission to heal the sick and to improve the health of the communities it serves in Kentucky and Indiana. The system includes Owensboro Health Regional Hospital, nationally recognized for design, architecture and engineering; Owensboro Health Muhlenberg Community Hospital; Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Medical Center; the Owensboro Health Medical Group comprised of over 350 providers at more than 30 locations; three outpatient Healthplex facilities, a certified medical fitness facility, the Healthpark; a weight management program, and the Mitchell Memorial Cancer Center.
On average each year, we have more than 19,000 inpatient admissions, deliver 2,000 babies and provide the region’s only Level III NICU. Owensboro Health physicians perform nearly 33,000 surgical procedures, including nearly 150 open-heart surgeries. Our physicians and staff have 90,000 Emergency Department visits and more than 1.25 million outpatient visits annually. Visit our home page for more information.