Health Starts Here
Produce Rx
Our Produce Rx program works primarily with health care providers to help individuals and their families overcome barriers to healthy eating through weekly prescriptions of produce, health checks, kitchen supplies, and hands-on cooking classes.
This program is offered in collaborative partnership with Bon Secours Richmond Health System, the VCU Health and Wellness Program, Health Brigade, and others. Together with our clinical partners, this program aims to help families struggling with diet related chronic disease, such as diabetes and hypertension, make connections between diet and health.
A Year of Impact
78
Participating Households
39
Weeks of Programming
5,556
Pounds of Produce Distributed
Produce Rx aims to measure both behavioral and biometric changes as a result of the program. On average 92% of participants report feeling healthier and 90% of participants report an increased consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables as a result of the program.
We’ve even had participants see an average decrease of 2.2 in their A1C levels. One participant, Ms. T was able to decrease her A1C from 6.1 to 5.5, meaning she is no longer in the pre-diabetic range. Ms. T. credits this unique program partnership that combines nutrition information, food skills education, and free fresh produce as critical to her success.
Gallery
Partners
Everyone deserves access to healthy food.
Need help finding healthy food in your neighborhood? Find out about how to take advantage of all of our food access programs.