Wirt County Health Services
- Project Title: Food Access through Rural, Medical And Community Systems (FARMACY) Program
- Program Representative Interviewed: Sarah Barton, Senior Projects Manager
- Location: West Virginia
- Program Overview: The Food Access through Rural, Medical And Community Systems (FARMACY)
Program is a health promotion program that integrates food access, healthcare access, and health education
to reduce hypertension, stroke, and cancer in the community. The program is a collaborative effort between
healthcare providers, health departments, university and university extension groups, and local community
organizations. Participants are referred to the program through community and clinical channels.
The nutrition component includes a 10-week class that teaches participants how to incorporate and prepare healthy foods. Classes include samples of health foods and demonstrations of how to prepare meals. Participants are then provided with weekly food boxes that align with the recipes that were taught in the class. The food boxes are prepared using seasonally fresh produce from local farmers and shelf stable ingredients from local food banks. The program also distributes health education materials and offers free health screenings for A1C, blood pressure, and weight.