Shalom Farms has launched a new Produce Prescription program aimed at helping Richmond residents manage chronic illnesses through increased access to fresh fruits and vegetables.

The nonprofit’s new initiative, known as Produce Rx, connects eligible participants with free produce, bi-weekly cooking instruction and nutrition education in partnership with Health Brigade, a Richmond health care provider. The program is supported by funding from the USDA’s Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP).

The Produce Rx program includes a 12-week active phase, during which participants receive fresh produce and attend hands-on cooking classes with Jason Muckle, owner and instructor at CHEW. That is followed by a 12-week sustainability phase, which provides $30 weekly vouchers for produce at any of Shalom Farms’ 12 Mobile Market locations across the city.

“This program is about bringing patients together in community and practically reaching their goals,” said My’Kal Lofton, Produce Rx manager at Shalom Farms. “It’s about recognizing what is broken about our community and celebrating what’s working.”

The initiative is part of a growing national movement to treat food as medicine—particularly for those navigating conditions like hypertension, type 2 diabetes and obesity. It is also designed to reduce food insecurity and support longterm wellness.

As part of the program’s development, a team from Shalom Farms attended the GusNIP National Convening in Minneapolis, hosted by the Nutrition Incentive Hub. The event brought together USDA officials, researchers, and community health leaders from across the country to exchange ideas on the future of nutrition-based health care.

“The most powerful part of the convening was visiting food hubs, farms, clinics and community spaces where this work is already happening,” said Änna Ibrahim, executive director of Shalom Farms. “Seeing the many ways other organizations are translating food-as-medicine from theory into real, local impact was both insightful and energizing.”

Founded to create a more equitable food system, Shalom Farms grows and distributes over 450,000 servings of produce annually. The organization offers urban and rural farming sites, a citywide Mobile Market program and food access initiatives centered on community health.

For more information,visit shalomfarms.org.