Wholesome Wave, a chef-founded nonprofit founded, has worked for the last six years on an initiative to get healthcare providers to write prescriptions for produce, rather than just pills. It’s called FVRx (Fruit and Vegetable Rx), and it’s ready for a nationwide rollout after getting started in downtown Los Angeles where national retail chain Target has sponsored the biggest FVRx program to date. More than 500 families there are now receiving produce prescriptions from their doctor, along with vouchers to purchase fresh produce at Target stores and nearby farmers markets. All of the participating families live at or below the poverty line, and a quarter of the children are overweight or obese. The majority of enrolled families receive SNAP benefits, which provide about $4 per person per day for food. The FVRx program adds another $4 per day for a family of four, which they must spend exclusively on fresh produce. The program has 3 crucial ingredients: (1) a neighborhood-based health care center; (2) food providers, which are typically a combination of local retail stores and farmers markets ; and (3) an entity that provides health and diet counseling and other services aimed it fostering the skills and habits of healthy eating.
Source: Modern Farmer, 1/31/7, Prescription Veggies
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