Maternal Produce Prescription Program - For the maternal population of Central Pennsylvania, food insecurity is driven by a complex web of economic, geographic, health, and social barriers rather than a simple lack of food availability. In this predominantly rural, 11-county region, The Family Health Council of Central Pennsylvania (FHCCP) administers the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), serving more than 12,000 participants annually. Approximately 21% of the caseload consists of pregnant and postpartum women. Because WIC enrollment often begins early in pregnancy, it provides an ideal opportunity to support maternal nutrition during a critical period that influences maternal health, fetal development, and infant outcomes. FHCCP proposes the Farm-Fresh Prescriptions: Delivering Produce to WIC Mothers program, a four-year initiative designed to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among pregnant and postpartum WIC participants and their families. The program will improve food security, support maternal physical and mental health, and contribute to healthier birth outcomes. The program is designed as a seamless, low-barrier intervention integrated directly into the existing WIC framework. Pregnant WIC clients will be invited to enroll during their first WIC pregnancy visit and remain enrolled throughout the postpartum period. During the seven-month growing season (April through October), enrolled participants enrolled participants will receive one large box of fresh, seasonal, locally grown produce each month. Distribution will occur through WIC clinics, partner farmers’ markets, and the WIC Mobile Unit to ensure access for families in remote areas. An average of 450 WIC mothers will receive produce boxes each month during the growing season. FHCCP will build on established relationships with local farmers’ markets to secure a dependable supply of produce. The organization plans to expand partnerships from its current network to six participating farmers’ markets by the end of Year 1, strengthening local food systems while increasing client access to healthy foods. Recognizing that food access must be paired with nutrition education to drive long-term behavior change, the program features a robust, year-round educational campaign. All pregnant and postpartum WIC participants, regardless of enrollment in the produce box program, will receive monthly nutrition education and seasonal recipes. This curriculum is designed to adapt to Pennsylvania's seasons: highlighting fresh, local produce from April through October, and pivoting to the creative, healthy use of affordable frozen and canned varieties from November through March. Through this widespread approach, the program will ensure that at least 2,500 mothers receive valuable nutrition education each month Program impact and continuous quality improvement will be measured through participant surveys and WIC clinical data. At each produce pick-up, participants will complete a brief electronic questionnaire assessing fruit and vegetable consumption, food security, maternal mental health, and overall well-being. WIC staff will track outcomes quarterly, including gestational weight gain, birth weight, gestational age, and adverse birth outcomes. Data will be analyzed based on timing of enrollment, comparing participants who enroll before 16 weeks’ gestation with those who enroll later. FHCCP brings significant experience to this effort, having implemented and evaluated smaller produce access initiatives over the past four years. To expand regional reach, FHCCP will partner with Lebanon Family Health Services (LFHS) as a sub-awardee. Through a formal Data Use Agreement, LFHS will implement the program within its service area and collect standardized evaluation data. Together, the partners will leverage the trusted WIC infrastructure to reduce food access barriers, encourage healthy eating behaviors, and create a scalable model for improving maternal nutrition.
