Through a grant from the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, Wheeler Health will expand its Farm to Family program, increasing access to locally grown vegetables and fruit for patients across the state experiencing food insecurity.
The $100,000 award through the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) grant program supports the purchase and distribution of Connecticut grown produce at Wheeler’s federally qualified health centers in Bristol, Hartford, New Britain, Plainville, and Waterbury.
Since 2018, Wheeler has partnered with Holcomb Farm CSA of West Granby and other Connecticut farms to integrate food access into health care, with more than 100,000 lbs. of produce distributed. Through the LFPA grant, Wheeler will expand produce distribution for the next fourteen months, including larger amounts of fruit than in the past as well, thanks to support for the grant from local farms in central and northern Connecticut.
“Our philosophy is that food is an essential part of health care,” says Sabrina Trocchi, PhD, MPA, Wheeler’s president and chief executive officer. “We’re investing in local agriculture and expanding access to nutritious food, which allows us to improve health care outcomes of our patients while also supporting Connecticut farmers.”
Weekly distributions during the growing season, special deliveries during the winter, and targeted holiday deliveries at Thanksgiving help address food insecurity among patients, particularly among individuals managing chronic health conditions. The increased amount of fruit was specifically the result of feedback Wheeler learned from patients who are unhoused, who mentioned that fruit is an easily portable source of nutrition.
All of the produce is bagged by Wheeler staff and offered free of charge, without an application or preexisting requirements.
“Our partnership with Wheeler Health began just as our farm really started to grow and hit its stride. Finding markets for the increasing production we were blessed with was proving difficult—in stepped Wheeler Health,” says Joe O'Grady, farm manager at Friends of Holcomb Farm. “Wheeler's footprint had us never worrying again where to market our produce, and the impact our hard work has on people's lives thanks to Wheeler Health's distribution, gives us meaning and purpose during the long days of backbreaking farm work.”
In addition to produce distribution, registered dietitians at Wheeler will continue to provide nutrition education and healthy cooking demonstrations at two Corsini teaching kitchens in Bristol and Hartford, helping patients translate fresh ingredients into meals that support heart health, diabetes management, and overall wellness.
“Every family should be able to access nutritious, locally grown food, and this program aims to eliminate barriers to healthy eating while also supporting Connecticut farmers and their operations,” Governor Ned Lamont said in a press release announcing the grant, one of a dozen across the state.
Wheeler Health will implement the expanded program through July 2027, with the goal of sustaining the Farm Fresh Program beyond the grant period through philanthropic and community support.