Fresh to You (FTY) is an innovative, public-private partnership program between Brown University's Institute for Community Health Promotion, the Rhode Island Department of Health, and the largest fresh fruit and vegetable distributor in Rhode Island.  We identified major barriers to fruit and vegetbale consumption through surveys, focus groups and community assessments conducted in Rhode Island.

Barriers in working adults were high cost, poor quality of available fruits and vegetables, and hectic lifestyles with limited time to shop. Barriers for low-income consumers were high cost, poor quality of available fruits and vegetables and limited access and transportation to stores that sell high quality, affordable produce. FTY addresses all of these barriers by purchasing its fruits and vegetables directly from the distributor and reselling it at prices significantly below retail. The fruits and vegetables come directly from the farmers' crates, and are therefore much fresher and of higher quality than the fruits and vegetables available in grocery stores.

Pilot weekly or biweekly fruit and vegetable markets were set up in one low-income community agency and at two public and private worksites in Rhode Island.  Online surveys conducted at worksites during these pilots found that fruit and vegetable consumption increased almost 70 percent during the weeks that the FTY markets were held for both employees and their families.  Exit interviews at the community markets showed the same trends.  However, it was determined that the cost involved in setting up and breaking down the markets at worksites, along with lost revenue from open cases of fruits and vegetables that could not be sold at regular prices, was prohibitive.  Therefore, it was decided that implementation of the FTY program at worksites would be through an online, pre-order system by which employees place their orders in advance and pick them up pre-packaged on market day. In March 2008, FTY implemented a Web site, www.freshtoyou.com, through which employees at participating worksites can purchase their produce in advance.

Currently more than 20 worksites are participating, and many more have expressed interest in joining the program.  The low-income market model continues to operate in the community agency, which has recently been approved to accept food stamps. The agency marks up the fruit and vegetable prices slightly to cover their costs. There are plans are under way to expand to low-income housing complexes and other agencies serving low-income communities throughout the state.

For more information, contact Gemma Gorham.