The Produce Rx Working Group (a sub-group of the Committee for Activity and Nutrition) meets monthly to develop and implement produce prescription programs in Henderson County. Partners for this strategy include:

• Caja Solidaria (lead)
• Mills River Farm Market (collaborate)
• Hendersonville Farmers Market (collaborate)
• Bearwallow Valley Farms (collaborate)
• YMCA of WNC (collaborate)
• Healthcare providers (collaborate)
• Appalachain Sustainable Agriculture Project (support)
• NC Medicaid Pre-Paid Health Plans (support)
• MANNA Food Bank (support)
• TRACTOR Food (support)

Healthy Food Prescriptions was identified by the Committee for Activity and Nutrition as an action, that when combined with other actions in our community, has a reasonable chance of making a difference in physical activity and nutrition in Henderson County. This is a new program in our community.

Health care providers can help to prevent and manage chronic disease by encouraging healthy eating. Food prescriptions allow providers to direct their patients towards foods that support their health goals. When food is free or covered by health insurance, providers feel confident that all their patients can follow their recommendations. A new initiative, Food is Medicine, started in January 2022. Two organizations collaborated to bring produce prescriptions to Henderson County- TRACTOR purchased foods and Caja Solidaria distributed.

Further, North Carolina is engaged in an effort to transform health by using Medicaid dollars to pay for the underlying reasons people struggle to be healthy through the Healthy Opportunities Pilot. In Henderson County, Caja Solidaria, MANNA Food Bank, ASAP, and the YMCA of WNC are all able to provide Healthy Food Boxes or Produce Prescriptions to Medicaid members through the Pilot. Learn more here: https://cajasolidaria.org/produce-rx/

The customers for Healthy Food Prescriptions are qualified Medicaid recipients and their families, and the strategy aims to make a difference at the individual and organizational levels. Implementation will take place within the various organizations described above.

Caja Solidaria piloted three produce prescription programs in 2022. View Caja Solidaria's 2022 Annual Report for greater detail about the organization's programs, initiatives, and future goals.

Henderson County participated in the Healthy Opportunities Pilot (HOP), which continued through 2023.  Through HOP, various organizations offered Healthy Food Boxes and Produce Prescriptions. The customers for Healthy Food Prescriptions are qualified Medicaid recipients and their families. The strategy aims to make a difference at the individual and organizational levels. Caja Solidaria fulfilled 558 Produce Prescriptions in 2023. Mills River Farmer's Market also participated and gave out $1,616 in fresh fruits and vegetables as part of HOP.