Food As Real Medicine Rx (FARM Rx) is a program at the Athens Farmers Market dedicated to helping those in the underserved communities of Athens by providing fresh produce and classes to creating a healthier lifestyle.

 Why It’s Newsworthy: About half of the United States adult population has a chronic dietary-related illness, some of these illnesses can be cured with a healthier diet. FARM Rx helps Athens residents in need of financial assistance by making these resources more accessible. 

 

Through partnerships with other local efforts and healthcare providers, FARM Rx is able to provide prescriptions for produce like fruits and vegetables to people who need financial assistance and have a dietary-related illness.

The purpose of this program is to help the participants with those illnesses by making produce from the Athens Farmers Market more affordable and by giving access to online courses that teach different skills to help improve their lifestyle, such as meal-prepping. 

FARM Rx is still young (formed between 2017-2018), and there are limitations such as gaps in funding, awareness and capacity.

FARM Rx is still expanding as a program and has helped past participants improve their health including improved levels of blood sugar and A1C. This success may help fill in gaps that prevent the program from helping more people from the lower-income areas of Athens.

Jose Chavez is a senior majoring in journalism in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia, with a minor in Spanish and a certificate from the John Huland Carmical Sports Media Institute.