Start a Program

If you’re eager to lead the fight against food insecurity and chronic disease in your local community, learn how to start a FARMacy WV program below.

Watch the video

See the steps

How to Start a Program

These are the steps you need to take to start your own FARMacy WV program. If you need help, please reach out to us! We offer all the resources you need at no charge.

Two hands holding a yellow tomato over a basket filled with red and yellow tomatoes.

Establish a clinic, hospital, or doctors’ practice that will host the program.

Top-down view of a small green leafy plant growing in soil.

Secure the funding. Funding is provided through grants, local philanthropy, and more.

Man in a straw hat and sunglasses holding two red bell peppers against a blue sky with clouds.

Contract with local farmers to supply produce for the 15 weeks of the program.

Woman in a green shirt giving a presentation or talking indoors near a table with folded clothes and orange safety vests.

Secure standardized education in nutrition and culinary skills from our team.

Person writing on a food planning sheet labeled 'MyPlate.gov' showing meal sections with a pen.

Prepare for data collection and decide on methods for HgA1C, Lipid Profiles, Weights, and BP.

Smiling elderly woman with glasses and short grey hair wearing a white and black striped hoodie during a group activity.

Begin patient recruitment in tandem with your chosen healthcare provider.

How to Make Your FARMacy WV Program Successful

These three strategies tend to set you up for success.

Person holding a beige FARMacyWV reusable shopping bag on a red and white checkered table, with fresh green vegetables in plastic containers nearby.

Connect the program to a healthcare provider

Anchor the FARMacy WV program within a clinic, hospital, or physician’s office. This connection gives the program credibility, enables the “produce prescription” model, and reinforces the idea of healthy food as medicine

Accountability and ongoing monitoring
are critical

Ensure healthcare providers track participants’ progress and outcomes. Regular follow-ups help patients stay motivated, strengthen provider relationships, and improve long-term health results.

Make nutrition education a core component

Include a structured educational element that teaches participants how to prepare fresh produce and understand its nutritional benefits. Offering these lessons early in the program helps patients build confidence in cooking and sustain healthy habits over time.

We Can Help

Our FARMacy WV planning team is available to meet with you to assist in the process of getting a program up and running! We have the resources to help you coordinate, locate, and educate all partners involved. There is no charge for our services.

What does a typical FARMacy WV program timeline look like?

Here's a quick rundown of what you can expect during a year of
running your own FARMacy WV program.

January

Identify partners (i.e. clinicians, growers, educators) & check in with FARMacy WV Planning Team

February

Begin recruiting patients

March

Work out programmatic logistics among partners

April

Become trained in utilizing data-tracking software

May

Start collecting baseline data with participants

June

Begin program

July

Collect attendance, can enter baseline data, implementing program

August

Collect attendance, can enter baseline data, implementing program

September

Finish program, collect post-program data

October

Begin entering post-program data

November

Finish entering post-program data

December

Analyze data, review impacts, & share with stakeholders

FAQs

Get answers to common questions about starting a FARMacy WV program in your community.

Still have questions?

How do we start a FARMacy WV program?

For a quick overview, watch the How To Start a FARMacy WV Program video. Also please read through the information on our Start a Program page for more.

What funding is available?

Current funding sources include Grant funding through multiple sources working with healthy food access, local gifting and philanthropic groups, Community Benefit dollars through hospitals, insurance companies as well as FQHCs.

What resources are provided to FARMacy WV programs?

A login to the HIPAA compliant data collection software, detailed tech and IT support, and the data entry training necessary to run the program. We also provide a start-up marketing package including posters, brochures, prescription pads, and more. All resources are provided at no cost to the program coordinator(s).

When do most FARMacy WV programs start and how long do they last?

Most programs begin mid-June to early July and run for 15 weeks during the WV growing season.

I’m a farmer and I’m interested. How do I grow for a FARMacyWV program?

Contact FARMacy WV team for assistance.