The Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) announced that the Good Food for All program will bring more than 610,000 servings of high-quality fruits and vegetables to over 1,000 families in Columbus with the help of local distribution partner Food Rescue US. Expanding on last year’s successful COVID-19 Fresh Food Fund, the Good Food for All program is designed to provide nourishing, high-quality produce to Columbus families in need, while creating a platform to raise awareness for the need for long-term changes to the food system in pursuit of health equity.
Working with Food Rescue US, Columbus families participating in Good Food for All will receive 50 servings of fruits and vegetables weekly for 12 weeks, providing each family member with at least two servings of produce per day. Nationally, the program will bring at least 10.3 million servings of high-quality fruits and vegetables to at least 17,250 families across 10 states in the Midwest.
“Through Good Food for All, we’re providing emergency food to families who need it, but even more importantly, we’re also working to catalyze longer term, sustained access to affordable produce in retail,” said Nancy E. Roman, President and CEO of Partnership for a Healthier America. “By distributing good food in a way that builds a habit, and then learning more about what families like, we can help retailers meet that demand, ultimately driving food equity.”
“We’re incredibly excited to be partnering with the Good Food for All program,” said Susan Swinford, Columbus Co-Site Director at Food Rescue US. “We’re delighted to get high quality produce to families, of course, but we’re also grateful for the continued recognition that access to healthy food is crucial to the health of community members and communities generally.
The Good Food for All boxes, sourced and assembled by Castellini Company, are intended to encourage more fruit and vegetable consumption in homes across the country while building a bridge to sustained access to affordable produce in retail. Good Food for All produce box distributions will begin this month in Omaha, Sioux Falls, Indianapolis, and Fort Wayne, with additional cities to be announced throughout the summer.
Click Here for Good Food for All Produce Box Artwork
A study of participants in the COVID-19 Fresh Food Fund found that the main barrier to eating more fruits and vegetables was cost: 91% of Rochester, New York, participants said they would buy more fruits and vegetables if they cost less. A majority of all participants said they were more likely to start eating more fruits and vegetables as a result of the Fresh Food Fund, suggesting there is significant unmet marketplace demand. Good Food for All aims to engage food retailers across the country by demonstrating the health and market value of making access to affordable, fresh food a reality for all families. Following the success of last year’s Fresh Food Fund, PHA recently announced a partnership with a Denver food co-op to bring affordable SNAP-eligible meal kits with fresh produce to local families.
PHA is launching a fundraising campaign to coincide with the Good Food for All program to raise funds to bring fresh produce to families in need while creating longer term, sustained access to affordable produce in retail.
