Shalom Farms Launches Produce Rx Program
Jul 01, 2025 08:45PM ● By Catherine Atienza
Nonprofit Shalom Farms has launched a new produce prescription (Produce Rx) program that connects Richmond residents managing chronic illnesses with free, fresh produce, hands-on cooking instruction and health education grounded in a food-as-medicine model. The program is made possible through the a USDA Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) in partnership with Health Brigade, a longstanding local healthcare provider.
The Produce Rx program provides eligible participants with fresh fruits and vegetables during a 12-week active phase and $30 weekly vouchers for use at Shalom Farms’ 12 Mobile Market locations during a 12-week sustainability phase. Participants receive biweekly cooking instruction with Jason Muckle, owner and cooking instructor at CHEW, as well as nutrition materials and recipes shaped by their preferences, traditions and lived experiences.
Funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), the Produce Rx project aims to reduce food insecurity and diet-related illness, particularly among patients navigating hypertension, Type 2 diabetes and/or obesity. It joins a growing national network committed to evidence-based, community-rooted solutions to health disparities.
Location: 3900 W. Broad St., Richmond. For more information, call 804-220-0025 or visit ShalomFarms.org.
