Our Vision
By 2028, anyone in Cuyahoga County will be able to access a produce prescription from their healthcare provider.
Our Mission
Coordinate the uptake and expansion of fruit and vegetable incentives and produce prescription programs.
Our Goals
Increased access to healthier foods:
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Increased number of people in priority populations (Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino/a/e) in prioritized areas of the county using fruit and vegetable incentives and produce prescriptions.
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Increase in the number of clinical sites prescribing produce.
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Ensure local produce prescription programs are culturally tailored for Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino/a/e patients.
Contact us at reach@case.edu with any questions.
The REACH project is funded by a grant (#6 NU58DP007747-01-01) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, through the Cuyahoga County Board of Health. Our partners on the project are Better Health Partnership, Catalytic Change Link, Cleveland Fresh LLC, and Produce Perks Midwest. This project is funded from December 30, 2023 to September 29, 2028.
- Conduct a food system landscape assessment to identify assets and gaps related to produce prescription programs. We will interview at least 30 stakeholders:
- Healthcare workers
- Black and Hispanic/Latino/a/e patients
- Black and Hispanic/Latino/a/e growers, nutrition educators, and food product makers
- We will leverage the BIPOC farming network and local food hub networks to connect produce prescription programs to local food sources, including Black and Hispanic/Latino/a/e farmers and food business owners.
- Using the Produce Path app, expand communication campaigns for fruit and vegetable incentive programs at markets offering Produce Perks.
- Using the Nourishing Power Fellowship approach, engage local food justice leaders to ensure produce prescription programs are culturally tailored to increase reach among Black and Hispanic/Latino/a/e populations.
- Help local produce prescription programs identify funding sources, leveraging statewide/local grant and funding expertise. We will host an annual workshop for healthcare providers in Cuyahoga County to learn about the various produce prescription program models, funding sources, logistics, and more. We will offer technical assistance catered to each site’s unique needs, through 1-on-1 sessions after each workshop.
- Work with the Nutrition Equity Committee of the Health Improvement Partnership Cuyahoga (HIP-C) and other local food policy coalitions to support and sustain produce prescription programming in Cuyahoga County. Landscape analysis to be conducted within the Nutrition Equity Committee utilizing best practice tools. We will facilitate the Produce Prescription Working Group of the Nutrition Equity Committee, meeting on a bimonthly basis.