This Act may be cited as the Food Access in Community Health Centers Act of 2026.

(a) In general Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish a grant program (in this section referred to as the Program) to facilitate food access in community health centers. (b) Grant authority In carrying out the Program, the Secretary may make grants on a competitive basis to eligible partnerships in accordance with this section. (c) Applications To be eligible for a grant under the Program, an eligible partnership shall submit to the Secretary an application in such form, at such time, and containing such information as the Secretary determines appropriate, including, at a minimum, a description of a project described in subsection (d) proposed to be carried out with such grant. (d) Eligible projects The Secretary may make a grant under the Program only for a project that— (1) provides a physical space in or adjacent to a community health center for the operation of a location that makes food available; (2) provides a vehicle that makes food available— (A) on the premises of a community health center; and (B) according to a defined schedule; or (3) assists with costs related to the operation of a physical space described in paragraph (1) or a vehicle described in paragraph (2), including any costs related to the procurement, transportation, storage, or distribution of food. (e) Maximum award A grant awarded to an eligible partnership under the Program may not exceed $500,000. (f) Reporting required Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall make publicly available a report that includes— (1) an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Program; (2) an analysis of the impact of the Program on the food insecurity of patients of community health centers; and (3) recommendations to improve the Program. (g) Definitions In this Act: (1) Community health center The term community health center has the meaning given the term Federally-qualified health center in section 1905 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396dU.S. Code — Title 42, Section 1396dView official source on GovInfo). (2) Eligible partnership The term eligible partnership means a community health center and an emergency feeding operation that partner together with respect to a project described in subsection (d). (3) Emergency feeding operation The term emergency feeding operation means a public or private nonprofit organization that administers activities and projects (including the activities and projects of a charitable institution, a food bank, a food pantry, a hunger relief center, a soup kitchen, or a similar public or private nonprofit organization) that make food available.