Support from the USDA Local Foods Promotion Program (LFPP) enabled Health Care Without Harm to develop a seasonal harvest program for healthcare dining services across New England. The program, called Nourished by New England, launched in the fall of 2017. After just the first quarter 44 hospitals across New England have registered to participate. They spent an estimated total of $166,000 on local food over the first three months of the program, with a concentrated focus on four featured items. The program was able to develop posters, table tents, point of sale signs, and LCD screen images for promotion of local food throughout the facilities. In addition to the seasonal harvest program, funds from the project are supporting 20 farm and food businesses to scale up to meet New England’s institutional market. A virtual trade show in January allowed these businesses to meet institutional purchasers, connections which continue to bear fruit for both the entrepreneurs and the hospitals. Thank you to Healthcare Without Harm for contributing this story.
