A new initiative this year led by the Vancouver Farmers Market gave community members experiencing food insecurity a consistent delivery of fresh food. The Vancouver Farmers Market’s Produce Prescription Program — an effort supported by Washington State University Clark County Extension, Vancouver Clinic and the American Heart Association — delivered locally grown produce to Vancouver Clinic patients experiencing food insecurity and chronic illness. “This project was truly a community effort,” Stephanie Clark, director of Partnerships and Programs for the Vancouver Farmers Market, said in a statement. “It shows how deep of an impact we can make when we work together toward a common goal of creating healthy communities.” The pilot program served 55 patients and their families in 2024. The produce was sourced from local farmers and delivered directly to patients’ with the help of Gathered Harvest, a family-owned Clark County delivery service.

“When the opportunity arose to combine service with good food, we were beyond excited. Bringing food to all sorts of people was a highlight to our year,” Gathered Harvest Owner Leah Hatfield said in a statement. WSU Clark County Extension provided translation services, and the American Heart Association provided technical assistance and partial funding for the program. Each delivery included $25 worth of fresh produce and a multilingual newsletter that included storage tips, preparation ideas, healthy recipes and farmer profiles to help patients integrate produce into their diets. The program officially ended in October, but patients got one last surprise delivery before the year was over: a Harvest Box. These boxes included $75 worth of food including squash, potatoes and apples, as well as locally sourced meat, eggs and bread to support families throughout the holiday season.

Hilary Henderson, associate director of population health at Vancouver Clinic, said there is a direct link between fresh food access and chronic illness. “Health care is expanding so far beyond just a visit with your clinician,” she said. “It’s becoming so important to your patient’s overall health that they have healthy food and health options. It’s just been incredibly valuable to have this partnership.” Henderson said the Vancouver Clinic has talked about how to measure health outcomes for patients such as identifying whether patients lowered their A1C and cholesterol levels after having access to consistent, healthy food. “Food is becoming so much more important beyond what traditional medicine has always encompassed,” she said.

Looking ahead, the Vancouver Farmers Market and the program’s partners are hoping to secure additional funding to continue the program for another year. “Produce Prescription not only supports patients with healthy food, it also increases economic opportunity for local farmers,” Clark said. “Together, we can continue to prove that fresh, local food is one of the most powerful tools for better health outcomes.”

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