Three Years of Growth: Valerie and Our Farm Share RX Program
As we welcome the vibrant colors of the season, we also celebrate the remarkable positive impact of our Farm Share Rx program on participants such as Valerie. For the past three years, she has embraced a transformative journey in her cooking and health — fueled by the fresh produce grown at our Youth Farm.
Valerie’s experience reflects the Youth Farm’s flourishing bounty. Each season, as the farm produces an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables, she finds new ways to enhance her diet and overall well-being. Ava, the manager of the Youth Farm, recognizes the growing interest in and direct impact of their work.
“We closed registration for spring training after reaching our cap of 70 youth participants,” Ava shares. This enthusiasm underscores a growing movement toward sustainable food practices that also empowers local youth to cultivate both food skills and life skills.
The farm’s productivity has also seen remarkable growth, with last season’s harvest reaching a record 35,353 pounds of produce — a significant increase from 15,487 pounds just three years ago.
“The weekly shares were abundant all season,” Ava says. “And staff were able to send two to five extra bins of produce to each distribution for folks that wanted more food than was provided in their packed shares.”
This bounty reaches well beyond the Farm Share Rx participants to help feed the broader community and reinforce our mission to end hunger and its root causes.
Valerie loves the reliability and convenience of having fresh produce delivered to her doorstep. “I have seizures, and when I have one, I can’t drive for three months,” she explains.
She’s even starting to embrace the educational aspects of her participation. “It gets you more into the different kinds of vegetables and alternative dishes that you can make,” Valerie says. “Right now, I’ve been reading up on avocados. We didn’t realize there were so many things that are good about them!”
Through Valerie’s story alone, we see the life-changing benefits that the Farm Share Rx program brings to its participants. Its success is possible only thanks to friends like you. Together, we’re building a healthier future for everyone.
