ccording to the USDA, half of every meal you eat should be made up of fruits and vegetables. However, many families have a difficult time easily accessing fresh fruits and vegetables. Freestore Foodbank is working to change this. Produce Pop Ups in partnership with Anthem® bring a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, along with the option to add other items such as bread, to communities in need. These 1 day “Pop Ups” provide valuable access to fresh items and can be hosted by community organizations, churches and/or schools. If you are interested in hosting please reach out, spots are limited and fill up quickly.

The Rubber Duck FAMILY (Food as Medicine in Low-Income Youth) Market is a pilot initiative of Freestore Foodbank and Hopple Street Neighborhood Health Center of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center with support from the Bob Edwards Fund. As part of their visit, each patient is screened for food insecurity. If a patient screens positive, they are provided with a supply of shelf-stable food from the in-clinic pantry.

Throughout its first year, the mobile pantry was organized in the hospital auditorium once a month. Patients who were identified as needing help by the medical staff were invited to visit the pantry. The goal was to reach as many individuals as possible, provide nutrition to those who truly needed it and raise awareness about healthy eating.

In January 2011, Freestore Foodbank and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Pediatric Primary Care Clinic launched Keeping Infants Nourished and Developing – also known as the KIND program. Since then, the program has expanded to 10 clinics within 4 health care systems.