Wholesome Wave Georgia’s expanded Food For Health program, the nonprofit’s produce prescription program, opens up the initiative to hundreds of Athens-area residents with chronic diet-related illnesses.

Wholesome Wave Georgia (WWG) announced the program expansion — called FARM Rx — at the Athens Farmers Market on Saturday, June 22. The event, held at Bishop Park, included community members, program participants, WWG team members and representatives from UnitedHealthcare and St. Mary’s Health Care System.

“We have some amazing partnerships that are raising the bar when it comes to serving the people in our communities,” said Will Sellers, Executive Director of Wholesome Wave Georgia. “From farmers and volunteers to health care and corporations, each plays a major role in helping to create the Georgia we all want to live in.”

The expansion of the FARM Rx program, made possible by a generous $300,000 grant from UnitedHealthcare, will offer fresh produce prescriptions, educational programs, and support services to more than 325 people in Athens’ underserved communities.

Key enhancements made possible by the UnitedHealthcare grant include:

• Staff Expansion: The addition of a full-time program director and two Spanish-speaking team members, effectively doubling the size of the FARM Rx staff.

• Extended Program Duration: An extension of the program length from six to eight months.

• Enhanced Offerings: Access to a mobile clinic hosted by St. Mary’s Health Care System and additional educational programs, including cooking classes held at the Athens Farmers Market.

“The benefits to the FARM Rx participants go way beyond what they get from the farmers market,” said Brian Strickland, Director of the Athens Farmers Market. “Friendships are made, habits are created, and even a walking club has formed.”

Since 2020, UnitedHealthcare has provided over $4 million in grants in Georgia, targeting food access and nutrition, social isolation, and behavioral health issues, while supporting local health education efforts.

WWG’s 34-week Food for Health Prescription program, which runs through November for the Athens FARM Rx participants, aims to enhance access and consumption of produce among those facing food insecurity and diet-related chronic diseases. The program allocates $7 per household member per week — or $14 per week for a household of one — for the purchase of fresh, healthy, locally grown produce from partner farmers markets. WWG’s medical partners will monitor participants’ changes in hemoglobin A1C (HbAIC), blood pressure (BP), and weight.

The launch event featured a series of activities and speakers, highlighting the impact and importance of the FARM Rx program. Attendees had the opportunity to meet with representatives from UnitedHealthcare, Wholesome Wave Georgia, and participants of the program.

“Wholesome Wave Georgia is pioneering the healthy food movement in Georgia,” said Abigail Darwin, Food for Health Program Manager. “We believe every person at the dinner table deserves healthy food options, and we’re working hard to make that happen."

Click here to download high-resolution photos from the June 22 event.