CCE Sullivan’s FreshRx Program Offers Benefits to Orange County Community Members Who Attend Workshops and Events.
CCE Sullivan’s FreshRx Program Offers Benefits to Orange County Community Members Who Attend Workshops and Events.
ORANGE COUNTY, NY – Spring is here, and the bounty of farmers’ market season is close behind! Summer brings so many wonderful opportunities, including the continuation of the FreshRx Produce Prescription Program, provided by Garnet Health in partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County. This collaborative program, offered to community members in Sullivan and Orange counties, is designed to increase fruit and vegetable consumption and educate community members on how to make impactful lifestyle changes that will lead to improved health.
In Orange County, 9.8% of the population lives with food insecurity. “We know that access to food plays an essential role in living a healthy lifestyle. But those who face food insecurity are often forced to choose between food and other essentials,” said Moira Mencher, manager of community health for Garnet Health. “What this grant does is help us reach those in the community facing these challenges, who can benefit not only from educational nutrition programs but also from access to fresh fruits and vegetables.”
Eligible recipients will receive $40 per workshop in FreshRx vouchers, redeemable for fresh fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets in Orange and Sullivan counties.
To receive the produce vouchers, eligible participants must:
- Participate in or be eligible for SNAP or Medicaid.
- Live in Orange or Sullivan County.
- Participate in Garnet Health’s Diabetes Prevention Program or one of the approved nutrition or physical activity classes offered by Cornell Cooperative Extension
The goals of the FreshRx Produce Prescription Program are to:
- Improve health outcomes in Orange and Sullivan Counties through increased consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Reduce individual and household food insecurity.
- Reduce healthcare use and associated costs.
How the program works:
Eligible participants will be screened for pre-diabetes and offered several paths to improve their health.
If a patient screens positive for pre-diabetes:
- They will be offered enrollment in the Diabetes Prevention Program. Throughout this year-long program, eligible participants receive vouchers in exchange for produce at local farmers markets or freshly pre-packaged boxes of produce.
- Patients can also choose to enroll in Cornell Cooperative Extension classes on physical activity and nutrition education and will receive vouchers after the completion of each class.
If patient screens negative for pre-diabetes:
- They can enroll in Cornell Cooperative Extension classes on physical activity and nutrition education and will receive vouchers after completion of each class.
Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County (CCE Sullivan) is excited to announce the following classes taking place in Orange County during the upcoming months:
1. Eat Healthy, Be Active
Wednesdays, April 16th – May 21st, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM – Newburgh Free Library
Community members are invited to learn how to experience healthy eating and physical activity as an enjoyable part of their lifestyle that supports them physically, mentally, and emotionally! In this series, the instructor will go over planning and preparing nutritious meals for the week, the five food groups on MyPlate, the role macro and micronutrients play in your diet, and more!
2. Cooking Matters in Your Community
Saturday, May 31st,11:00am-12:00pm – Newburgh Farmers Market
Saturday, June 14th, 11:00am-12:00pm – Port Jervis Farmers Market
Saturday, June 28th, 11:00am-12:00pm – Newburgh Farmers Market
Saturday, July 12th, 11:00am-12:00pm – Port Jervis Farmers Market
Tuesday, July 29th, 11:00am-12:00pm – Healthy Orange Farmers Market
Tuesday, August 19th, 11:00am-12:00pm – Healthy Orange Farmers Market
Learn a variety of skills from food safety to how to get produce from the Farmers' Market ready for your dinner table! Each class in this program series will focus on a specific healthy eating theme or cooking technique and include a recipe to demonstrate the concept. Participants will have the opportunity to learn more about local, in-season produce, and sample food prepared in class together.
Participation in these programs is free to all attendees! Pre-registration is highly encouraged and can be completed through the event listing at sullivancce.org/events. Interested participants with questions should contact the instructor and CCE Sullivan’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Educator, Joy Leon at 845-292-6180 ext. 101 or freshrx@cornell.edu.
“Healthy diets and physical activity contribute to healthy lifestyles and overall well-being,” said Melinda Meddaugh, ag & food systems issue leader for Cornell Cooperative Extension. “With this program, we want to remove barriers, allowing community members easier access to healthy foods like fruits and vegetables from our local farmers, while also teaching them how to maintain healthy habits for themselves and their family, which we ultimately hope will lead to better health outcomes.”
Participating farmers market redemption sites include:
- Sullivan Fresh Mobile Market (https://sullivancatskillsfarmersmarkets.com/sullivan-fresh/)
- Callicoon Farmers’ Market (https://callicoonfarmersmarket.org/)
- Monticello Farmers Market (https://purecatskills.com/member/sullivan-fresh-farmers-market-monticello/)
- Port Jervis Farmers Market (https://www.orangecountygov.com/2540/Farmers-Market)
- Newburgh Farmers Market (https://www.commongroundfarm.org/markets/newburgh-farmers-market)
- Healthy Orange Farmers Market (https://www.orangecountygov.com/2540/Farmers-Market)
The FreshRx Produce Prescription Program is made possible by the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP). Funded through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), GusNIP provides grants on a competitive basis to projects that help low-income consumers access and purchase fresh fruits and vegetables through incentives that increase their purchasing power at locations like farmers markets.
Please visit Cornell Cooperative Extension‘s website, https://sullivancce.org/, for more information about the FreshRx Program or available classes. Those with related questions can contact the CCESC office at (845) 292-6180 or sullivan@cornell.edu.
For those with prediabetes who are interested in learning more, visit Garnet Health’s Diabetes Prevention Program website at https://www.garnethealth.org/diabetesprevention.
