BRANCH OF FOOD

Fresh Rx Inc.

Fresh Rx aims to address nutritional inequality through innovative food programs that provide both education and access to fresh healthy produce, while also supporting local family owned farms that use organic growing practices and contribute to the success of our regional food systems. Fresh Rx’s vision is that everyone has access to fresh healthy produce grown with organic practices that improves their health.

Since 2018, our programs have evolved into vital components of our community that serve hundreds of youth and families each year.

In 2019, we then discovered that children of the patients receiving the produce were unfamiliar with the fruits and vegetables they were receiving. From there, we launched “Farm to Kids.” Farm to Kids allows us to educate youth on the power of healthy eating from an early age with the added benefit of changing their health trajectory by teaching them early on about healthy choices. We found the best way to do this is through partnerships. We partner with youth serving organizations and schools to plant, maintain, and harvest community-based produce gardens.

Farm to Patient is a fresh produce prescription program working with patients in the community whose doctors have advised them to change their diets as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. Fresh Rx is committed to buying produce from local family farms that use organic growing practices; that means all the produce is grown without the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. Participants receive a free 16- week farm share which allows them to start incorporating more fresh produce into their diet without adding any additional financial pressure. The farm shares typically include microgreens and a seasonal selection of locally grown vegetables.

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