Click here to watch FFFK Founder Karthik Rohatgi's speech on the program at TEDxReno 2013.

Founder speaks on program goals & design




Farm Fresh For Kids is founded on the philosophy of maximizing the number of different people we can help. By providing FFFK participants with fresh, locally grown produce, rather than supermarket goods, we are helping both urban dwellers and sustainable Nevada farmers. Further, FFFK aids clinics in providing better care for their patients, through the opportunities patients are provided to interact with fresh produce.

Farm Fresh for Kids has served or will be serving the patients at five clinics in the Reno-Sparks area. The main goal of our program is to provide fresh, locally grown produce for elementary school-aged children and their families. Our goal in focusing on 5-10 year old children is to instill good nutritional habits at a younger age, which will hopefully last a lifetime.

Each child’s family will receive Farm Fresh For Kids coupons, redeemable for fresh fruits and vegetables at select local farmers' markets. They are distributed, and ideally are used from July to September, when the greatest selection of produce is available.

The doctor will help the elementary school children take an active role in eating a variety of fresh produce. We believe that involving the doctor lends extra weight to Farm Fresh For Kids' recommendations and maximizes the chances that participants will benefit from our program.

Nevada does not participate in the WIC FMNP, yet it is one state which could really benefit from this type of program the most. Farm Fresh For Kids definitely fits this role, and not only do we help combat obesity but we work to reduce other nutritional deficiencies through fresh fruits and vegetables, a more effective form of intake for vitamins and minerals. Farm Fresh For Kids is different from the WIC FMNP in that we involve the recipients’ health clinics and focus primarily on elementary school-children.

Along with the coupons, Farm Fresh for Kids will create a logistical guide explaining how to redeem the coupons, nutritional education pamphlets for parents emphasizing the importance of fresh produce, a basic cooking guide on simple methods to prepare farm vegetables, and a multitude of children's activities engaging the interest of the children in fresh produce.

Note: The Farm Fresh for Kids model has been constructed with ideas from Wholesome Wave’s Veggie Rx program. Read more about their work on their website.