At Children’s Aid, we are always excited when the summer starts. School ends, camp begins, and fresh fruits and veggies are abundant. We also believe that good nutrition and healthy habits are taught by example. By providing families with a chance to learn more about the preparation and storage of fruits and vegetables, we are supporting the entire household in creating an environment that helps children develop healthy habits at home. Our Go!Healthy program is gearing up this summer to offer two great opportunities to connect our families to fresh fruits and veggies and build community through recipes and knowledge through the fall.
Go!Healthy will once again be offering our Food Box program in the Bronx at the Whitney Young Jr. Campus (Wednesdays) and the Bronx Family Center (Thursdays), the Goodhue Center in Staten Island (Tuesdays), and the Milbank Center in Harlem (Wednesdays). Every week, families, staff, and community members can purchase a big pre-packed bag of fresh fruits and vegetables for only $10! All the food boxes are designed around a healthy, seasonal recipe, which we will also demonstrate at the distribution to taste. All forms of payment are accepted one week ahead of delivery, including EBT, cash, credit/debit, and Health Bucks coupons. This year, we are also offering classes for kids at the Bronx Family Center food box distribution where families can earn Health Bucks—$2 vouchers for locally grown fruit and vegetables—to spend on fresh produce.
Go!Healthy will also be offering Farmers’ Market Walks in select community centers and community schools. Nutritionists will lead group discussions and walks to the nearest farmers’ market, then give out Health Bucks coupons to all participants to spend when they shop! EBT is also accepted at all farmers’ markets in New York City and comes with a bonus: for every $5 a family spends with their EBT card at their local market, they will earn an additional $2 in Health Bucks.
The Go!Healthy Food Box and Farmers’ Market Walks can support families in bringing home a huge bounty of farm-fresh food throughout the summer and fall. Both of these programs will start the week of July 9 and run through Thanksgiving. Please contact Beth Bainbridge for more information if you are interested in participating.
