“Farmers will be the healers of our generation.” – José Andres

DC Greens is proud to partner with Upper Cardozo Unity Health Clinic and the Columbia Heights Community Marketplace to launch a Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program in Washington, D.C. The FVRx Program is developed and supported by Wholesome Wave to track the impact of increased fresh fruit and vegetable consumption on health indicators among low-income, obese patients.

Here’s how it works:
Doctors at Unity select program participants at high risk for obesity-related chronic illnesses. These patients receive a Fruit and Vegetable Prescription that can be redeemed at five area farmers’ markets. The participating “farmacies” are the 14th & U, Mount Pleasant, Columbia Heights, Bloomingdale and Glover Park-Burleith Farmers’ Markets. Patients’ redemption rates and health metrics are carefully tracked and entered into a secure portal. At the end of the season, Wholesome Wave will analyze the data in aggregate from their 11 partner sites nationwide.

We view the FVRx Program as a direct descendant of Dr. Jack Geiger’s revolutionary work in the Mississippi Delta in the mid-60s when he started prescribing food to patients experiencing malnutrition.  In the same way, we are trying to address root causes of the current health crisis, and we’re enlisting the help of our local farmers, who will surely be the healers of this generation.