A Central Oregon program that prescribes fresh produce to those in need expanded in its second year to serve more people in the region.
The VeggieRx program, created by the High Desert Food and Farm Alliance, was created last year to help people with poor access to fresh food or have diet-related diseases such as diabetes.
People are either referred by a physician or sign up on their own. They receive vouchers to buy produce at the Bend and Redmond farmers markets over eight weeks or pick up free meals at a mobile food truck in Prineville for 16 weeks. The entire program ran during the summer.
Overall, 130 people were signed up for the program, which was an increase from about 70 who were served last year. Each participant in Bend and Redmond received a $165 voucher to use at the farmers markets.
“The goal is to get everybody access to locally grown food and make one healthy choice at a time,” said Hannah Brzozowski, a registered dietitian and the VeggieRx program director for the High Desert Food and Farm Alliance.
Those served by the program spanned a mix of backgrounds and needs, Brzozowski said. The age range was 18 to 82 and they all had health troubles, including diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Some had other hurdles such as no internet access or dyslexia.
“This year the face of VeggieRx definitely expanded,” Brzozowski said. “We had a huge variety of ages and a variety of diet-modified diseases.”
The Redmond Farmers Market and food truck in Prineville were new to the program this year.
VeggieRx participants were able to pick up free meals at the food truck, which was created by NeighborImpact to deliver food pantry items and fruits and vegetables to areas without access to fresh foods.
The truck was open two days per month at the Mosaic Medical clinic in Prineville. It provided participants with ready-to-make meals that could feed a family of four.
“We love partnering with the fresh food truck,” Brzozowski said. “We are talking with NeighborImpact and the Oregon Food Bank about how we can expand VeggieRx.”
Plans for next year are still in the works, but some goals are to grow VeggieRx in Jefferson County and maybe offering the program for a longer period of time, Brzozowski said.
“People wish the program could go year round,” she said. “Our goal is to grow steady and continue to meet people where they are and with what they need.”
The food and farm alliance sent surveys to participants to get detailed feedback. But anecdotally, participants shared positive feedback about VeggieRx.
Most people said they lost weight and some were happy to try new foods and recipes when preparing meals. Others had never been to a farmers market before joining the program.
“People said they were trying a lot of new foods and were more creative in the kitchen,” Brzozowski said. “They even got their kids thinking of new foods.”
— Reporter: 541-617-7820, kspurr@bendbulletin.com
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VeggieRx healthy food program wraps up for season - Bend Bulletin
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