A new produce prescription program was launched this week to help people who are food insecure get access to fresh produce. The Polk County Produce Prescription Program is funded by a $50,000 Leadership Grant awarded by the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines. According to a news release, it’s a first-of-its kind program in Iowa, and allows participants and their families to redeem produce prescriptions from their health care providers for fresh fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets and grocery stores. The program was created by the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative and Broadlawns Medical Center. The prescriptions will provide access to fresh produce for up to 150 at-risk patients and their families who participate in the Broadlawns’ Diabetic Management Program. According to the release, more than 55,000 people in Polk County are food insecure. The produce prescriptions can be redeemed at the following locations in Des Moines’ urban core:

• Hy-Vee Euclid – 2540 E. Euclid Ave. Open daily 6 a.m. to midnight.
• Hy-Vee MLK – 3330 Martin Luther King Jr Parkway. Open daily 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• C-Fresh Market – 801 University Ave. Open daily 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• LSI Global Greens Farmers Market – 3200 University Ave. Open Saturdays 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Heart of Des Moines Farmers Market – Forest Avenue between Sixth Avenue and Eighth Street from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

Iowa Stops Hunger is a yearlong Business Publications Corp. initiative to bring awareness and action to food insecurity in Iowa. Read additional stories on Iowastopshunger.com.