VeggieRx program returns to Central Oregon
(Update: Adding video, comments from program director)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- VeggieRx, a program that forged partnerships with Central Oregon health care providers to offer fresh locally grown vegetables and fruits to their patients experiencing hunger or food insecurity, starts again on June 10th in Bend, June 25th in Prineville, and July 7th in Redmond.
NewsChannel 21 spoke Tuesday with Hannah Brzozowski, the program director, to learn more about why the program is needed in Central Oregon.
"We think vegetables should be the priority because people aren’t getting enough vegetables," Brzozowski said. "Also, we’re really good at growing vegetables here in Central Oregon. It’s a little harder to grow some of the berries, orchard fruits, and we do a great job at growing carrots, kale, and greens. We like to pack our bags full of those things.”
Since its pilot in 2018, participants of VeggieRx ate more vegetables and fruits during and after the program.
Experienced food insecurity was reduced following the program.
"It’s targeting Central Oregonians experiencing food insecurity that also have a diet-modifiable disease like obesity, diabetes, pre-diabetes or heart disease," Brzozowski said.
Participants said they felt more confident in their personal ability to stretch meals using fresh food and shop for produce on a budget. More than $27,000 has been spent on produce from local farms via VeggieRx.
This season, HDFFA is offering a VeggieRx drive-thru to enrolled participants, in order to reduce in-person contact for participants, staff, and market vendors. Kits filled with locally grown produce and paired recipes will be dispersed to participants.
HDFFA encourages community members that are experiencing food insecurity to apply by going to hdffa.org/veggierx or texting ‘veggie’ to 797979.
Health care providers can refer to VeggieRx by going to hdffa.org/veggierx and clicking “for medical professionals” or emailing hannah@hdffa.org for more information.
Want to get involved? Volunteer with us. https://hdffa.org/get-involved/
