Hartford Program Provides Fruits/Veggies To Young Latina Mothers

Wholesome Wave

HARTFORD, CT — A new food program for an underserved population in Hartford was unveiled earlier this month, a program that could make a difference in the lives of some residents.

A total of 20 women who are pregnant, Latina and low-income in Hartford were recently chosen to participate in a new incentive program called “Food4Moms,” which offers an equity-centered fruit and vegetable prescription plan to improve health and wellness for families.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Point32Health Foundation, this program is a collaboration among three leading public health organizations, Wholesome Wave, the Hispanic Health Council, and Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center (PRC), to study the success of a new food-as-medicine model.

“Research shows that Latina women are not consuming enough fresh fruits and vegetables during pregnancy and that there are systemic structural barriers preventing them from doing so,“ said Yale School of Public Health Professor Rafael Pérez-Escamilla, the lead researcher from the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center in New Haven and Derby.

“Our community-centered approach includes co-designing the produce prescription model together with Latina mothers themselves, the Hispanic Health Council staff, and other key partners to maximize the intervention’s impact.”

It is hoped the program will lead to improvements in fruit and vegetable intake; household food security; and self-reported health outcomes.

The participating Latinas met the following criteria: be 18 years old or older, speak either English or Spanish, live in Hartford County, and be in the second trimester of pregnancy.

They must also meet a low-income threshold or qualify for SNAP, WIC or Medicaid, as defined by the State of Connecticut.

The women will receive $100 a month for 10 months to spend on fresh fruit and vegetables.

Food4Moms has selected two redemption partners: Fresh Connect, which provides a debit card to be used at local participating stores, and Umoja Food for Health, which delivers a box of produce twice a month.

Wholesome Wave is a national non-profit organization based in Connecticut that addresses disparities in diet-related disease and enhanced nutrition equity.

“At Wholesome Wave, we believe people should not only be able to get enough food when times get tough, but to also get the healthy foods they need to thrive and prevent diet debilitating diseases like diabetes and heart disease,” said Wholesome Wave Co-Founder and Chairman Michel Nischan.

For more information on Wholesome Wave, click on this link.

For more information on the Hispanic Health Council, click on this link.