11/29/2023 – When Katie Molitor joined the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture in 2019, she knew Boone County needed to put nutritious, affordable food on more tables.
Two years later, she came up with a plan: Give year-long prescriptions to patients for fresh fruits and vegetables to supplement their diet. The idea took root, and the result is Produce Prescription, which makes fresh produce available with a prescription.
Compass Health writes the prescriptions for families with children under 19 to exchange for produce tokens at the Columbia Farmers Market. The vouchers can be redeemed at any of the market vendors.
Since 2021, the program has distributed around $118,000 in fresh produce, with families getting up to $20 each to spend every week.
