Hartford, Conn., June 17, 2026 — At a rooftop garden overlooking Hartford, The Cigna Group Foundation joined Hartford Hospital and program participants to mark the continued growth of the hospital’s Food4Health program. This initiative is supported through the Foundation’s $9 million Health Equity Impact Fund, designed to address the root causes of health inequities.
The grant funding will expand access and reduce transportation barriers for low-income Hartford Hospital who are experiencing food insecurity and at risk of diet-related illnesses, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
The expansion comes as many Hartford patients continue to face barriers to accessing healthy food, even when clinical programs are available.
Participants visit the Food4Health Clinic weekly to shop for nutritious foods at no cost, along with receiving nutritional guidance, medical support, and healthy cooking education. The setting reflects the program’s approach, with the rooftop farm and clinical model working together to bring fresh, nutritious food directly into care. Combined with transportation and personalized support, the program helps more patients participate consistently and build healthier habits over time.
Employees from The Cigna Group donated kitchen essentials to Hartford Hospital’s Food4Health clinic to help patients prepare healthy meals at home.
The Cigna Group Foundation grant will help increase program participation by:
- Providing no-cost transportation to and from the Food4Health clinic
- Coordinating food and grocery delivery services
- Providing individual shopping carts that can help patients transport groceries
- Supporting Community Health Workers who guide program participants on transportation access, healthy lifestyle changes, and connections to community resources
The investment reflects The Foundation’s ongoing commitment to improving health in the communities where its colleagues live and work.
“Programs like Food4Health only work if people can access them,” said Ellie Polack, President, The Cigna Group Foundation. “For many patients, transportation is a major barrier. As a company headquartered here in Connecticut, we’re proud to support programs like this in our own community, helping more people get the food and guidance they need to improve their health.”
“The Food4Health clinic saved my life by helping me learn how to eat properly and take care of my health,” said Juan Gomez Jr., a Food4Health patient. “This grant isn’t just for me, but for everyone else who needs the help.”
Hartford resident Juan Gomez Jr speaks about his experience as a Food4Health patient at Hartford Hospital’s rooftop garden.
Since 2022, the Food4Health Clinic has supported more than 10,000 patient visits and distributed more than 3 million pounds of food. The new grant will help build that momentum by reaching more patients and helping them sustain healthier habits over time.
“Food4Health is changing what care can look like—bringing nutrition, clinical support, and guidance together in a way that truly meets patients where they are,” said Lynn B. Rossini, Interim Chief Philanthropy Officer, Hartford HealthCare, and Vice President of Philanthropy at Hartford Hospital. “We’re grateful to The Cigna Group Foundation for this support, which allows us to reach more patients and build the kind of lasting change that our community needs.”
You can learn more about The Cigna Group Foundation’s Health Equity Impact Fund here.
You can learn more about the Food4Health program here.
About The Cigna Group
The Cigna Group (NYSE:CI) is a global health company committed to creating a better future built on the vitality of every individual and every community. We relentlessly challenge ourselves to partner and innovate solutions for better health. The Cigna Group includes products and services marketed under Cigna Healthcare, Evernorth Health Services or its subsidiaries. The Cigna Group maintains sales capabilities in more than 30 countries and jurisdictions and has more than 187 million customer relationships around the world. Learn more at www.thecignagroup.com.
About The Cigna Group Foundation
The Cigna Group Foundation is a private foundation funded by contributions from The Cigna Group (NYSE:CI) and its subsidiaries. The Cigna Group Foundation aims to support, collaborate, and convene with nonprofit organizations addressing society's greatest health challenges. In addition to increasing access to programs and care in geographies demonstrating significant need, the Foundation responds with humanitarian aid relief during critical times and strengthens colleagues' support of causes through matching donations and volunteer rewards. To learn more, visit www.thecignagroup.com/community
About Hartford Hospital
Hartford Hospital, founded in 1854, is one of the largest teaching hospitals and tertiary care centers in New England. The hospital boasts 867 licensed beds, including its 114-bed mental health facility, the Institute of Living, which maintains an international reputation of excellence; a 59-bed, free-standing orthopedic hospital; and Jefferson House, a 104-bed long-term care facility. The hospital’s Emergency Department (ED) ranks among the busiest EDs in the country. It has a nearly 200-year history of training physicians in the latest techniques and technology.
Hartford Hospital is the flagship member of Hartford HealthCare, Connecticut’s most comprehensive healthcare network. A system-wide institute model offers a unified high standard of care in crucial specialties at hospital and ambulatory sites across the state, offering unparalleled expertise at the most affordable cost. The institutes include: Ayer Neuroscience, Behavioral Health, Cancer, Digestive Health, Heart & Vascular, Orthopedics, and Tallwood Urology & Kidney.
The hospital’s active medical staff includes more than 2,000 physicians and dentists. In 2025, the hospital had nearly 49,000 discharges and more than 111,000 Emergency Department visits. Hartford Hospital physicians performed over 39,300 surgeries plus another 32,443 specialty procedures in 48 operating rooms and delivered over 4,000 babies that year.
When hospitals can’t provide advanced care, expertise and new treatment options their patients require, they turn to Hartford Hospital. In 2025, nearly 10,000 patients were transferred here from 98 different facilities.
Hartford Hospital was recognized among the best in the nation in 2026 for cardiac surgery by the Society for Thoracic Surgeons; received a 10th consecutive “A” grade, as well as Top Teaching Hospital recognition, from The Leapfrog Group, the nation’s leading independent watchdog for healthcare safety; and garnered accolades from US News & World Report, CMS, The Joint Commission, and many more.
Media Contact
Danielle DiStefano
media@thecignagroup.com