FreshRX program available for Orange County residents

Spring is here, and farmers’ market season is close behind. This summer, the FreshRx Produce Prescription Program, provided by Garnet Health in partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Sullivan County, will return. This program aims to increase fruit and vegetable consumption and educate community members on how to improve their health. It is offered to residents of Sullivan and Orange counties.

Eligible participants will receive $40 per workshop in FreshRx vouchers, redeemable for fresh fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets in Orange and Sullivan counties.

To receive the produce vouchers, eligible participants must:

•Participate in or be eligible for SNAP or Medicaid.

•Live in Orange or Sullivan County.

•Participate in Garnet Health’s Diabetes Prevention Program or one of the approved nutrition or physical activity classes offered by CCE.

The program works as follows:

Eligible participants will be screened for pre-diabetes and offered several paths to improve their health. If a patient screens positive for pre-diabetes, they will be offered enrollment in the Diabetes Prevention Program. Throughout this year-long program, eligible participants receive vouchers in exchange for produce at local farmers markets or freshly pre-packaged boxes of produce. Patients can also choose to enroll in CCE classes on physical activity and nutrition education and will receive vouchers after completion of each class.

If a patient screens negative for pre-diabetes, they can enroll in CCE classes on physical activity and nutrition education and will receive vouchers after completion of each class

CCE Sullivan County will hold the following classes in Orange County during the upcoming months.

Eat Healthy, Be Active:

Wednesdays, April 16–May 21, 11:00 a.m.–noon, Newburgh Free Library.

In this series, the instructor will go over planning and preparing nutritious meals for the week, the five food groups on MyPlate, the role macro and micronutrients play in your diet, and more.

Cooking Matters in Your Community:

•Saturday, May 31, 11:00 a.m.–noon, Newburgh Farmers Market

•Saturday, June 14, 11:00 a.m.–noon, Port Jervis Farmers Market

•Saturday, June 28, 11:00 a.m.–noon, Newburgh Farmers Market

•Saturday, July 12, 11:00 a.m.–noon, Port Jervis Farmers Market

•Tuesday, July 29, 11:00 a.m.–noon, Healthy Orange Farmers Market

•Tuesday, August 19, 11:00 a.m.–noon, Healthy Orange Farmers Market

Each class in the Cooking Matters program series will focus on a specific healthy eating theme or cooking technique and include a recipe to demonstrate the concept.

Participation in these programs is free. Pre-registration is encouraged and can be completed through the event listing at sullivancce.org/events. Interested participants with questions should contact the instructor and CCE Sullivan’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Educator, Joy Leon at 845-292-6180 ext. 101 or freshrx@cornell.edu.

Participating farmers market sites for voucher redemption include Monticello Farmers Market, Port Jervis Farmers Market, Newburgh Farmers Market, and Healthy Orange Farmers Market.

Visit CCE’s website, https://sullivancce.org/, for more information. For those with prediabetes who are interested in learning more, visit Garnet Health’s Diabetes Prevention Program website at https://www.garnethealth.org/diabetesprevention.