Broccoli is the Best Medicine? D.C. doctors to begin prescribing fresh produce.
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Some local clinics and nonprofits are about to start convincing patients that fresh produce may actually be just what the doctor ordered. Through a grant from the national nonprofit Wholesome Wave, some D.C. doctors will write prescriptions for fruits and vegetables to be redeemed at area farmers markets.
“Doctors will choose 35 families at risk for obesity and other nutrition related illnesses, says Robert Schubert, executive director of the Columbia Heights farmers market. “Over the six-month course of the program, they are going to issue them prescriptions which they can fill at farmers markets.”
A total of five markets are participating in the program, which kicks off in June. ”It increases food access, it improves human health, and then it builds the local economy,” Schubert says. >>READ MORE
$9G Grant Doubles Fresh Food SNAP Value
“NEW HAVEN — CitySeed markets are now offering double the value of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program when those customers buy fruits, vegetables and seedlings, resulting in increased access to fresh food for low-income residents.
Wholesome Wave, a national nonprofit that aims to support small farms, recently awarded CitySeed a $9,000 grant that enabled them to double the value of SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, at all five of their New Haven markets.” >>READ MORE
Fresh Food Advocate Links Farmers, Doctors, Low-Income Families
“It must take a boatload of energy to be Michel Nischan. He owns a restaurant, writes cookbooks and lead the fast-growing non-profit Wholesome Wave, which connects low-income neighborhoods with local, farm fresh foods. WW has doubled its reach over the last few years, linking about 2,300 local farmers with thousands of people.
So we weren’t surprised when we sat down for coffee recently with the uber-kinetic Nicschan that he orders his latte with an extra shot.
He was here in D.C. for Wholesome Wave’s annual meeting. The last time we met up with him he was teaching us how to create a lovely three-course meal for less than 5 bucks. Here’s a sampling of questions was asked him, edited for clarity and length, and the answers.” >>READ MORE
Gus Schumacher discusses Wholesome Wave and Local Food
More than 60 partners from 25 different states are on-hand learning about the environmental implications of local food and reviewing new data from Wholesome Wave‘s annual survey during their 3rd annual meeting in the District. The data ranges from impact on fruit and vegetable consumption to economic impacts among farm-to-retail venues and local agriculture. >>READ MORE
