Food deserts are considered to be areas that feature limited numbers of full serve grocery stores within the city limit, Flint falls into that category. Approximately 60% of the children in the city live in poverty, many people do not consume enough nutrient dense foods but consume too much poor-quality calorie dense foods.
Hurley Children’s Center relocated to the second floor of the downtown Flint Farmers’ Market and immediately following the move the clinic and market created a program to encourage families to shop at the market for fresh produce by giving pediatric patients $15 prescriptions for fresh fruits and vegetables to be redeemed at the market. The fresh produce prescription program was created to be a first step to introduce fresh high-quality produce to children.
Researchers found through interviews that caregivers whose children had received a produce prescription were significantly more likely to shop at the farmers’ market and perceived the program to be effective in improving food access, security, and dietary patterns of children. Caregivers displayed appreciation for being introduced to the program, some saying that they held onto the prescriptions until they totaled $30 or more to redeem when money is limited.
Funding has been granted to expand the program through Michigan Health Endowment Fund to evaluate its impact. They have now partnered with Flint Fresh Mobile Market as well which includes online or telephone ordering of the locally grown produce boxes delivered directly to people who live in Flint. Expansion of the program will help researchers create a model program which can be replicated in other food desert areas.
