Dc Greens Inc

DC GREENS ADVANCES HEALTH EQUITY BY BUILDING A JUST AND RESILIENT FOOD SYSTEM IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL.

FOOD ACCESS: DC GREENS' FOOD ACCESS PROGRAMMING REFLECTS OUR BELIEF THAT ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD IS A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT. OUR PRODUCE RX PROGRAM ADVANCES A "FOOD AS MEDICINE" APPROACH, EQUIPPING PHYSICIANS TO PRESCRIBE FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES TO LOW-INCOME PATIENTS COPING WITH CHRONIC DISEASE (DIABETES, PRE-DIABETES, AND HYPERTENSION). PATIENTS REDEEM THEIR PRESCRIPTIONS AT THE GIANT PHARMACY - THE ONLY FULL-SERVICE GROCERY STORE IN WARD 8 AND RECEIVE $80 PER MONTH TO SPEND IN THE PRODUCE AISLE. ANOTHER COMPONENT OF OUR FOOD ACCESS PORTFOLIO IS PRODUCE PLUS, WHICH WE HAVE INCUBATED AND MANAGED SINCE 2016, PROVIDING VOUCHERS FOR OVER 25,000 LOW-INCOME DC RESIDENTS ANNUALLY TO SHOP FOR FRESH, LOCAL PRODUCE AT FARMERS' MARKETS CITYWIDE. THIS PROGRAM, LAUNCHED BY DC GREENS IN COLLABORATION WITH DC HEALTH, HAS CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE OF HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS IN THE CITY AND SECURED THE MARKET FOR FOUR NEW FARMERS' MARKETS TO OPEN EAST OF THE ANACOSTIA RIVER. AT THE END OF 2021, DC GREENS COMPLETED OUR MANAGEMENT OF PRODUCE PLUS - IN KEEPING WITH OUR THEORY OF CHANGE AROUND INCUBATING STABLE PROGRAMS THAT CAN BE SUSTAINABLE WITHOUT US.

THE WELL AT OXON RUN: THE WELL AT OXON RUN IS DC GREENS' PLACE-BASED INIATIVE, UP-STREAM INTERVENTION TO ADDRESS HEALTH EQUITY. THE WELL IS A FARM AND INTERGENERATIONAL COMMUNITY WELLNESS SPACE IN THE CONGRESS HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD OF SOUTHEAST DC. WE HAVE SPENT THREE YEARS VISIONING THIS SPACE TOGETHER WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS AND LONG-TIME NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS, AND HAVE HIRED STAFF FROM WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO GUIDE THE SPACE AS IT MOVES FORWARD. IN 2021, WE LAUNCHED CONSTRUCTION WITH A SCHEDULED OPENING IN SPRING 2022.

FOOD POLICY: DC CITY COUNCIL AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES SHARE OUR DESIRE TO BUILD A HEALTHY FOOD SYSTEM IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL, AS EVIDENCED BY THE BREADTH OF EXISTING FOOD RELATED LEGISLATION. DC GREENS COLLABORATES WITH COLLEAGUES AND LEGISLATORS TO CRAFT FOOD POLICY THAT WILL ADVANCE HEALTH EQUITY, SUCH AS THE NO SENIOR HUNGRY ACT, AND ADVOCATES FOR POLICY THAT SUPPORTS THE SECTOR'S WORK ON THE GROUND, SUCH AS GIVE SNAP A RAISE. WE ALSO COLLABORATE WITH CITY AGENCIES TO BUILD CHANNELS FOR COMMUNITY INPUT (E.G., SCHOOL FOOD COLLABORATIVE; COMMUNITY VOICE WITHIN THE FOOD POLICY COUNCIL), OFFER BEST PRACTICES AND OPPORTUNITIES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY (E.G., GOOD FOOD PURCHASING PROGRAM, HEALTHCARE FINANCE OPPORTUNITIES AROUND FOOD AS MEDICINE), AND ARE INVOLVED IN HELPING TO SHAPE POLICY AT ALL LEVELS OF DC GOVERNMENT.