Authors:
Hannah Colby, RD, LD, CLS - Health Educator & SHIP Coordinator at Public Health
Emma Arnold - Population Health Coordinator at Riverwood Healthcare Center
Allison Rian - Aitkin Farmers Market Hub Manager
In its second year of offering the innovative Produce Prescription Program, or “Food Rx,” Riverwood Healthcare Center is once again demonstrating its commitment to addressing food insecurity and improving community health. Building on the lessons learned from last year’s launch, the hospital is trialing a new addition to the program: a pop-up farmers market. This initiative responds directly to feedback from participants, who expressed a desire to pick out their own produce when they arrive to spend their produce prescriptions.
What is the Food Rx Program?
The Food Rx program at Riverwood Healthcare Center began as a way to integrate nutrition into patient care by receiving the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) grant from the Minnesota Department of Health. Recognizing the impact of diet on chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease, Riverwood designed a system where healthcare providers and dietitians could "prescribe" fresh fruits and vegetables to patients who needed them most. Participants can also self-refer with an online form by answering the hunger vital screening tool. Participants of the Food Rx program receive two Food Rx Market boxes a month in the summer season and one Food Rx Market box a month in the winter season. The participants also receive $50 in Riverwood Connects Market Bucks or coupons to spend at the Aitkin Farmers Market or on an additional Food Rx Market box.
Listening to the Community: The Pop-Up Farmers Market
While the first year of Food Rx was a success, Riverwood’s leadership and partners (Public Health and the Aitkin Farmers Market Hub) wanted to enhance the program further by addressing a key challenge: accessibility. Some participants faced difficulties traveling to the Aitkin Farmers Market to spend their Riverwood Connects Bucks or lacked the ability to purchase fresh produce frequently. After collecting feedback and carefully considering the barriers to food access, the healthcare center decided to experiment with a pop-up farmers market, with the Aitkin Farmers Market Hub, that could bring healthy food even closer to participants. This market allows participants to directly exchange their Riverwood Connects Market Bucks for farm-fresh produce, eliminating the need for long trips or inability to attend the Saturday farmers market. By partnering with local farmers, the pop-up market offers a variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables, ensuring that participants receive fresh, high-quality items. In addition, the market provides a community feel—creating a space where participants can engage with local farmers, learn more about healthy food options, and get advice on how to prepare nutritious meals.
How the Pop-Up Market Works
The market pop-up was held on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, usually aligning with clinic visits for Food Rx participants. Not only does this add convenience, but it also reinforces the connection between healthcare and nutrition. Participants can visit the market, meet with program staff, and redeem their Riverwood Connects Market Bucks for a variety of fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
Fostering Sustainable Health and Wellness
Riverwood Healthcare Center’s Food Rx program is more than just an effort to address food insecurity; it is a movement toward preventive healthcare. By offering patients access to fresh, nutritious foods, the hospital is actively working to reduce the burden of diet-related diseases in the community. The addition of the pop-up farmers market demonstrates the Riverwood’s responsiveness to community needs and its dedication to making health-promoting behaviors easier to achieve. It also emphasizes the importance of local partnerships with farmers, creating a symbiotic relationship where community members support local agriculture while improving their own health.
What’s Next for Food Rx?
As the pop-up market gains traction, Riverwood plans to continue listening to participants to refine the initiative by offering this model more frequently to participants. The second year of Food Rx has already shown that healthcare doesn’t stop at the clinic door; it extends into the heart of the community, where access to healthy food is just as crucial to wellness as any medical treatment. Through this program, Riverwood Healthcare Center is putting fresh produce directly into the hands of those who need it most, empowering its patients to make better food choices and fostering a culture of preventive healthcare that benefits everyone.
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