At DC Greens, we believe access to fresh, nourishing food is essential to living a healthy and joyous life. Federal programs like the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) help turn that belief into reality. For communities across the country, including here in the District, GusNIP funding is more than a line item in the federal budget. It’s a lifeline that helps families access the foods they want and need to thrive.
On Wednesday, March 25, representing DC Greens and National Produce Prescription Collaborative (NPPC), our Food Is Medicine Manager, Luisa Furstenberg-Beckman, spent the day on Capitol Hill, where she advocated for GusNIP alongside our partner from Fair Food Network, Alex Canepa. They met with nine congressional offices — Democratic and Republican alike — to share what we see every day through our work: that GusNIP funding is essential to the health and well-being of our communities. Programs like DC Greens’ own Produce Rx would not be possible without the funding GusNIP provides, and while GusNIP funding is intact within the Farm Bill, the total investment has not kept pace with rising food costs or the growing demand for nutrition incentive programs.
That gap has real impact on the communities we work with. DC Greens has received two GusNIP grants over the years, and this funding has been foundational to our Produce Rx program. Through Produce Rx, we partner with health care providers to connect patients with fresh fruits and vegetables, supporting both individual health and broader food access goals. In 2025 alone, our program reached 2,760 D.C. residents across every ward in the District who spent $377,001 on fresh fruits and vegetables through our program.
Without GusNIP, this work would not be possible.
GusNIP is also a powerful example of what it looks like to invest in solutions that work across the food ecosystem. By supporting nutrition incentives at farmer’s markets and produce prescription programs nationwide, GusNIP ensures that families can bring home the fresh, healthy food they desire while also strengthening local farmers and regional food systems.
DC Greens is proud to advocate for funding for GusNIP and will continue to do so in the years to come. We know that when we invest in programs like GusNIP, we invest in healthier communities, stronger local economies, and a better food system for all of us.