A new produce prescription program through the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore is helping connect families in the Bronx to healthy foods and other resources.  

The Fresh Connect program is giving people in the community who qualify a prepaid debit card every month to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables at Stop & Shop.  

Janiera Moore and her son Josiah spent Wednesday filling their cart with fruits and veggies thanks to the new program, made possible by a $75,000 grant from Stop & Shop.  

“Fresh Connect allows people to have the opportunity to not have to choose between different foods or have to trade off between different foods,” said Janeira Moore. “ [It] allows us the opportunity… to instead of buying juice from the store… make my own juice from out of fresh fruits and vegetables.” 

The partnership between the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore and Stop & Shop is working with Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson to help local families in need fight food insecurity.  

The program is expected to last six months and support approximately 100 families.