Instacart and PHA Achieve Milestone in Nutrition Security
In a remarkable collaboration, Instacart has partnered with the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) to enhance nutrition security across the United States. Together, they have successfully connected families nationwide to an impressive 10 million servings of fresh produce.
Good Food at Home Initiative
The initiative, branded as Good Food at Home, aims to deliver fresh fruits and vegetables directly to the homes of families in need. Through this program, over 17,000 individuals across 12 cities have received essential produce.
Transformation of Service Delivery
Before this partnership, PHA offered families the option to pick up pre-packaged produce boxes. However, with the introduction of Instacart Health Fresh Funds, the focus shifted to making produce more accessible and convenient through delivery, allowing families more choice and flexibility.
How Fresh Funds Work
Fresh Funds are grocery stipends designed to empower families, enabling them to purchase fruits and vegetables from various retailers available on Instacart. The Fresh Funds model was put to the test in Indianapolis in 2023, where 600 participating families received a monthly stipend of $50 along with an Instacart+ membership for three months. The positive feedback from families highlighted the benefits of this new approach:
- 80% preferred produce credits over produce boxes.
- 78% found they could afford more fruits and vegetables with produce credits.
- 78% reported that these credits helped them establish healthier eating habits.
Expanding the Program
Due to the success in Indianapolis, Instacart and PHA expanded the Fresh Fund model to several cities in 2023 and will continue into 2024. Program locations now include:
- Washington, D.C.
- Englewood, New Jersey
- Denver, Colorado
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Chicago, Illinois
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Wichita, Kansas
To further enhance accessibility, the monthly stipend was increased from $50 to $60.
Innovations for Greater Access
As part of ongoing improvements, the initiative introduced the option to purchase frozen and canned fruits and vegetables with Fresh Funds starting in 2024. Recently, an eight-month version of the program launched in cities including Washington, D.C., Detroit, Michigan, and Sacramento, California, to gauge the long-term effects of sustained access to fresh produce.
Impact on Communities
“Sharing food is one of the most powerful ways we care for one another,” remarked Dani Dudeck, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Instacart. “Through our technology and partnership with PHA, we’ve helped families bring 10 million more servings of produce home and build lasting healthy habits. Making nutritious food easier to access strengthens families and impacts the broader community positively.”
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