Prescribing produce in Kingston and New Paltz

December 21, 2021

Staff at the Kingston Family Health Center distribute fresh organic produce to patients as part of the Local Produce Prescription Program (Photo courtesy of the Hudson Valley Farm Hub).

Twice a month, fresh organic fruits and vegetables are available free through the Local Produce Prescription Program. Patients will find a table set up at the Kingston and New Paltz Family Health Centers,  where they can get a bag of fresh seasonal produce, as well as health information and a booklet of recipes to match the types of fruits and veggies they are receiving.

“I wanted to offer our patients something of quality, something that I would want to eat,” said Asha Sarnacka, the lead care navigator at Kingston who started the program in July. She works closely with nutritionists to develop recipes and offer cooking classes on Zoom. “We often see between 60 and 80 people on our distribution days.”

The program currently distributes between 10-20 different varieties of organic fruits and vegetables. All of the produce is donated by local farms, including the Hudson Valley Farm Hub, Mead Orchards and the Phillies Bridge Farm Project.

The Local Produce Prescription Program is open to all community members—just stop by on one of the dates below:

• Every other Wednesday at the New Paltz Family Health Center, from 10:30am—12:30pm.
  279 Main Street, Suite 102, New Paltz, NY 12561
• Every other Thursday at the Kingston Family Health Center, from 10:30am–12:30pm.
  1 Family Practice Drive, Kingston, NY 12401

In 2022, distribution days will begin Wednesday, January 12 in New Paltz and Thursday, January 13 in Kingston.

Interested in learning more about the Local Produce Prescription Program? Read the article in  the Hudson Valley Farm Hub.