A new initiative seeks to help those who are struggling to get fresh produce and vegetables delivered to their home through their healthcare benefits, if qualified, or through Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.

                By                    Dawn Allcot

See: Social Security: Rising Cost of Eggs, Milk and Bacon Render COLA Boost WorthlessFind: Don’t Qualify for SNAP? The Commodity Supplemental Food Program Could Help Seniors Get Food

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has long recognized that eating fruits and vegetables can help reduce the risk of obesity and many diseases associated with weight gain and obesity, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and even some forms of cancer.

Yet, a CDC analysis discovered that only 9% of adults eat the recommended amounts of vegetables, while only 12% eat the recommended amounts of fruit. Research also showed that lack of vegetable intake was more prevalent in Americans whose household income fell at or below the poverty level, with just 7% of adults at the poverty level getting enough vegetables, compared to 11.4% for those in the highest household income category.

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To combat the problem, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved Farmbox Direct’s healthcare initiative, FarmboxRx, according to ThePacker.com. The program delivers fresh produce delivery to those whose Medicare and Medicaid health insurance plan offers healthy food benefits.

Ashley Tyrner, CEO and founder of Farmbox Rx and Farmbox Direct, says that the initiative currently covers 51 plans, a jump from three when it was first introduced 10 months ago.

The USDA has also approved FarmboxRx as the only national fresh grocery retailer to accept SNAP benefits for online payment.

“Being that we are we are the only national grocery that delivers fresh produce nationally already, and we have that wide footprint of going everywhere FedEx goes, it’s truly the way to tackle the food desert and food insecurity issue at its core,” Tyrner told ThePacker.com.

See: Social Security Got Its Biggest COLA Bump Ever – Are Rising Food Prices Covered? Find: Retirement: Medicare Part B Will Rise 14.5% Next Year — More Than Double the Estimate

FarmboxRx has in-house clinicians who curate content around a consumer’s condition, such as diabetes, heart disease, or even pregnancy, ThePacker.com reports.

Additionally, the fast-growing company is set to close on a Series A financing round by the end of 2021.

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