Operation Food Search Celebrates Fresh Rx Anniversary
Nonprofit marked its first anniversary with pilot program participants.
St. Louis, MO, December 18, 2019 --(PR.com)-- Operation Food Search (OFS), a non-profit hunger relief organization, recently celebrated the one-year anniversary for its Fresh Rx: Nourishing Healthy Starts program. Designed and delivered by OFS, this innovative program helps low-income women by improving birth outcomes and empowering families to cultivate a healthy household.
Fresh Rx, which eliminates food insecurity during pregnancy to produce better birth outcomes for moms and their babies, provides families with weekly shares of food from local farmers and producers, in addition to cooking classes, nutrition resources and supportive services.
OFS introduced new meal kits that will continue to improve the health and well-being of local families. OFS’s partner Fair Shares Combined Community Supported Agriculture (CCSA) has provided weekly shares of local produce, dairy, protein and grains to Fresh Rx participants since the program’s inception.
To date 60 women have participated in this pilot program and, according to OFS, 98% were healthy births with only one baby spending a single night in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
“Program participants are now trying new fruits and vegetables while developing cooking skills,” said Trina Ragain, OFS’s Director of Policy and Innovation. “These moms also found the program eliminated the social isolation that comes during difficult life circumstances, so Fresh Rx was a success on multiple levels.” Ragain added that Fresh Rx is funded by Bayer Fund and generous OFS donors.
Founded in 1981, Operation Food Search (OFS) is a hunger relief organization that provides free food, nutrition education and innovative programs proven to reduce food insecurity. With a strategic focus aimed at ending childhood hunger, OFS empowers families and increases access to healthy and affordable food. The agency provides food and services to nearly 200,000 individuals on a monthly basis – one-third of whom are children – through a network of 330 community partners in 30 Missouri and Illinois counties. For more information, call (314) 726-5355.
Fresh Rx, which eliminates food insecurity during pregnancy to produce better birth outcomes for moms and their babies, provides families with weekly shares of food from local farmers and producers, in addition to cooking classes, nutrition resources and supportive services.
OFS introduced new meal kits that will continue to improve the health and well-being of local families. OFS’s partner Fair Shares Combined Community Supported Agriculture (CCSA) has provided weekly shares of local produce, dairy, protein and grains to Fresh Rx participants since the program’s inception.
To date 60 women have participated in this pilot program and, according to OFS, 98% were healthy births with only one baby spending a single night in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
“Program participants are now trying new fruits and vegetables while developing cooking skills,” said Trina Ragain, OFS’s Director of Policy and Innovation. “These moms also found the program eliminated the social isolation that comes during difficult life circumstances, so Fresh Rx was a success on multiple levels.” Ragain added that Fresh Rx is funded by Bayer Fund and generous OFS donors.
Founded in 1981, Operation Food Search (OFS) is a hunger relief organization that provides free food, nutrition education and innovative programs proven to reduce food insecurity. With a strategic focus aimed at ending childhood hunger, OFS empowers families and increases access to healthy and affordable food. The agency provides food and services to nearly 200,000 individuals on a monthly basis – one-third of whom are children – through a network of 330 community partners in 30 Missouri and Illinois counties. For more information, call (314) 726-5355.
Contact
Operation Food Search
Rochelle Brandvein
314-726-5355
www.operationfoodsearch.org
Rochelle Brandvein
314-726-5355
www.operationfoodsearch.org
Contact
Categories