Families who want affordable produce can now pick up fresh fruits and vegetables at one of six Children’s Aid sites through November.

The Go!Healthy Food Box distributions run by our Eat Smart New York program provide local, farm-fresh produce to families in the Bronx, Harlem, and Staten island. At our farm stands, visitors will find reusable bags stuffed with seasonal items and healthy recipes, which vary every week.

Nutritionists are also on site to answer questions about how to store and use all the items. Compared to local grocery stores and high-end supermarkets like Whole Foods, our program offers produce at one-third of the price. For only $10 with cash or credit card and $8 with EBT or FMNP, local residents can walk away with a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

We’ve distributed bags with fresh tomatillos, Swiss chard, peaches, and more. In neighborhoods like the south Bronx, Harlem, and northern Staten Island, healthy food can be hard to access. Our program aims to make farm-fresh produce accessible and easy to incorporate into meals that families are already making, while also adding new recipes to their list.

All six stands are near Children’s Aid sites, many of which have Farmers Markets for Kids programs. Our team of Eat Smart New York staff in the Bronx visit farm stands with children and teach them how to taste, identify, and appreciate fresh produce. They also walk away with Health Bucks coupons to use toward future purchases.

Beth Bainbridge, program manager for Go!Healthy, said the program’s main goal is to ensure that there is a fair food system in New York City.

“Ultimately, this program has food justice at its core,” she said. “This neighborhood deserves to have produce that is available, that is priced at a point that is affordable, but is also the quality that people deserve.”

Those interested in picking up a food box can sign up and pay on-site. The produce will be ready for pick up in one week.