A Recipe for Better Health

Participant: Carla Montano, Rust Food Farmacy

For more than 40 years, Carla Montaño has lived with diabetes. Despite exercising regularly, cooking healthy meals and staying informed about nutrition, lowering her A1C remained a constant challenge. Everything changed when she discovered Presbyterian’s Food is Medicine program through a simple flyer at the pharmacy.

“It’s a beautiful program.”

Today, Carla’s A1C has dropped to 7.7, which is a milestone she proudly celebrates after decades of hard work. The fresh fruits and vegetables she receives each week have become an important part of the healthy lifestyle she has always worked to maintain. From homemade calabacitas and hearty lentil soup to discovering new vegetables she had never tasted before, Carla embraces every opportunity to nourish herself and loved ones while continuing to learn.

“The fruit and vegetables are wonderful! I just love getting them.”

The program has also eased the burden of rising grocery costs, making it easier to keep healthy food on the table without sacrificing quality. Careful to waste nothing, Carla freezes extra produce and finds creative ways to use every ingredient.

For Carla, Food is Medicine is more than access to nutritious food. It’s encouragement, partnership and hope. Thanks to the generosity of donors, she’s not only improving her health today—she’s building a healthier future, one meal at a time.

“I love to learn and I love to cook, so this is just perfect for me.”