By Tyler Jacobson and Blake Miller
Community Health Volunteers of Madison

In partnership with The Farley Center, Healthy Food for All (HFFA) and The River Food Pantry, UW-Madison student organization the Community Health Volunteers of Madison (CHVM) is piloting The Grow Program, a new nutrition initiative at the Access Community Health Centers, including the William T. Evjue (WTE) clinic on the Northside of Madison.

Dr. Jonas Lee and Dr. Walker Shapiro from the Wingra Family Medical Center and WTE will refer 40 patients and their families to the program. Participants will be people interested in incorporating healthier eating habits into their lifestyle but experiencing difficulty accessing healthy food.

The program offers participants garden baskets filled with fresh, locally-sourced and organic produce from The Farley Center and HFFA every Saturday from June 30 until September 1. Second Harvest, The River Food Pantry and the Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC) also contribute produce to the baskets.

Nutrition education is offered to participants with the help of UW-Extension’s Food WIse program, through healthy engagement activities at garden basket pickups and culturally appropriate cooking classes at FEED Kitchens and the CMC. The Grow Program is at the cutting edge of the “Food as Medicine” revolution, working to reduce the prevalence of chronic nutrition-related illnesses and food insecurity in the Madison community.