Carlisle, Pa.-based The Giant Co. is putting the Food as Medicine movement into action.
Produce Rx participants are now able to use their produce prescriptions – $240 valid for 90 days loaded on their Giant bonus cards – at three Washington, D.C., Giant Food locations.
The DC Greens’ program makes it easier for patients at partnering clinics with diet-related chronic illnesses, such as prediabetes, diabetes or hypertension, to buy fresh and frozen produce and access nutrition education, according to a news release.
The O Street NW, H Street NE, and Brentwood NE Giant Food locations are where it all happens, bringing the total to five Washington, D.C., Giant locations for this Produce Rx program.
“Too many households do not have access to nutritious food,” Produce Rx Manager Luisa Furstenberg-Beckman said in the release. “These new Giant locations allow us to reach more D.C. residents who would otherwise not have access to the fruits and vegetables they both want and need.”
About 15% of Washington, D.C., households struggle to afford nutritious food, according to the release. This struggle contributes to the 15-year life expectancy difference between Ward 8 and Ward 3 residents, according to DC Health.
Produce Rx has a mission to increase food access to these area residents with diet-related chronic illnesses. The three new locations join Produce Rx Giant branches in Congress Heights and Columbia Heights.
The Produce Prescription program is working toward long-term, sustainable solutions that support food access and health equity, by advancing Food as Medicine interventions.
To learn how to access the program, email [email protected] or call (202) 601-9200 and choose option 2. Organizations interested in partnering on these initiatives can contact the Produce Rx team at [email protected] and learn more at dcgreens.org/produce-rx