DC Greens and Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB) have joined forces to make healthy food more accessible for residents in communities where grocery options are limited. Participants in DC Greens’ Produce Rx program can now shop at any of CAFB’s Curbside Groceries locations, expanding fresh produce options in D.C. 

The partnership builds on the shared mission of both organizations — to ensure that nutritious food is within reach for everyone — and adds to the network of retailers where Produce Rx participants can use their Fresh Connect* card by introducing another convenient, local option. Shoppers at the Curbside Groceries truck can also have their dollars doubled when purchasing fresh produce, creating even greater access to healthy food. Curbside’s “Buy One Get One Free” promotion is available to all shoppers. 

“We are thrilled to expand our partnership with the Capital Area Food Bank and work together on this initiative,” said DC Greens Food Is Medicine Manager, Luisa Furstenberg-Beckman. “This collaboration gives our participants a convenient and affordable way to shop for fresh fruits and vegetables while also strengthening our local food system and supporting a trusted community organization.” 

Curbside Groceries is a mobile grocery store delivering quality produce, meat, shelf-stable items and more to communities without a traditional, brick-and-mortar supermarket. It was created by the Capital Area Food Bank in response to clients’ calls for reliable access to fresh food for purchase near where people live and work. 

“Access to fresh, nutritious produce is essential for maintaining good health and well-being,” said Molly McGlinchy, Deputy Chief of Programs and Innovation at the Capital Area Food Bank. “We’re proud to be partnering with DC Greens to make it easier for our neighbors to purchase the fresh fruits and vegetables needed to manage their health conditions and to live strong, active lives.” 

DC Greens’ award-winning Produce Rx program, which connects DC Medicaid patients with diet-related chronic illnesses to fresh produce prescribed by their health care providers, is the largest Food Is Medicine program in D.C. The current cohort includes 424 households, with hundreds more expected to enroll this fall. Since its inception in 2012, the program has enrolled more than 3,000 participants who have collectively spent $2.4 million on fresh fruits and vegetables. 

Curbside Groceries launched in D.C.’s Ward 8 in January 2020 and expanded in 2021 to include a second truck serving Prince George’s County, Maryland. During 2025, Curbside is expected to serve about 2,800 customers. According to DC Greens’ Q2 2025 Produce Rx report, nearly one-third of current Produce Rx participants live in Ward 8 — where CAFB’s Curbside Groceries brings fresh food to six locations each week.  

“With Curbside Groceries now part of the Produce Rx network, more residents can find fresh, affordable produce close to home,” said Furstenberg-Beckman. “This is a tangible step toward ensuring that every D.C. household has opportunities to eat well and thrive.” 

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About Capital Area Food Bank 
The Capital Area Food Bank works to address hunger today and create brighter futures tomorrow for more than a million people across the region experiencing food insecurity. As the anchor in the area’s hunger relief infrastructure, the food bank provided more than 64 million meals to people in need last year by supplying food to hundreds of nonprofit organizations. It also works in partnership with organizations across the region to address hunger’s root causes by pairing food with critical services such as education, health care, and job training. To learn more, visit https://www.capitalareafoodbank.org/ or call 202.644.9800.   

About DC Greens 
DC Greens advances health equity by building a just and resilient food system. Founded in 2009, our vision is a capital city in which health equity is a central value, healthy food is a human right, and all residents have the resources to shape and control policies and programs for their own communities. Learn more at https://dcgreens.org/. 

*The Fresh Connect Visa®️ Prepaid Food Care Card is issued by Avidia Bank, pursuant to a license from Visa® USA Inc.