Fresh Food, Stronger Communities: How Legacy and Urban Harvest Nourished Houston’s Northside This Summer

Legacy Community Health believes good health begins long before a patient steps into a clinic – and that includes having access to fresh, nutritious food. That’s why Legacy was proud to partner with Urban Harvest on FreshRx over the summer. Together, we improved community health in Houston’s Northside by tackling non-medical factors, like food access and affordability.

A Mobile Market with a Mission

Urban Harvest has been connecting Houston with locally grown food for over 20 years. From farmers markets to school gardens, they’ve made a lasting impact on how our city eats. But during the pandemic, when grocery prices soared and access to food became harder for many Houstonians, Urban Harvest launched its Mobile Market – a “farmers market on wheels” that brings affordable, fresh food directly to neighborhoods in need.

Over the summer, the Mobile Market served more than a dozen communities, including Legacy’s own Northline and Northside Irvington neighborhoods. It became a vital resource for many of our patients, offering healthy, locally sourced options that may not be readily available at nearby stores.

“This is an opportunity that keeps growing,” Phylicia Coleman, Urban Harvest’s Food Access Director, told the Houston Chronicle. “We recognized there was a gap in getting fresh, nutritious food into more Houston communities.”

FreshRx: Food as Medicine

Legacy’s FreshRx program was designed to complement the established FoodRx initiative by addressing the unique needs of pregnant patients experiencing food insecurity – particularly those who didn’t qualify for FoodRx, which focuses on chronic conditions like diabetes or hypertension. Through Health Connect referrals and direct outreach, eligible patients in the Northside community were offered a one-time intervention that provided access to nutritious food and supportive services.

Participants received $25 in vouchers, with an additional $25 per household member (up to $100 total), redeemable for up to 30 pounds of fruits, vegetables, and other healthy items at Urban Harvest Mobile Market locations. The program also encouraged participation in the Becoming a Mom 2 class (Nutrition & Pregnancy) and the full BAM education series, reinforcing the connection between nutrition and healthy pregnancies.

FreshRx served as an immediate, practical resource to support full-term pregnancies and healthy birth outcomes. By addressing barriers like food access, transportation, and refrigeration, the program helped lay a stronger foundation for both maternal and infant health. Participants were also connected to long-term support services like WIC and SNAP, extending the impact well beyond the market visit.

A Community Effort

The success of Urban Harvest’s Mobile Market was powered by a diverse group of contributors, from local farmers to high school students. The Chronicle spoke with Alejandro Ibarra, a 14-year-old student from Bellaire High School, who sold chickens he raised through the Future Farmers of America program. Thanks to Urban Harvest, he found a market for his poultry, customers got fresh meat at an affordable price, and Alejandro learned the value of entrepreneurship and food equity.

In Alief, the Mobile Market sold thousands of pounds of fresh produce, including carrots, okra, pears, onions, and more, at discounted prices. With support from programs like Double Up, which matches up to $40 in SNAP benefits for fresh produce purchases, the market helped ensure affordability for all.

Building a Healthier Future Together

Legacy’s work with Urban Harvest through the FreshRx program reflects a broader mission: to treat the whole person by recognizing the factors outside the clinic that impact health. Whether it’s a lack of transportation, food insecurity, or unstable housing, these non-medical drivers of health are just as important as any prescription.

With school out for the summer, many children in Houston also faced increased food insecurity without daily school lunches. Local school districts, the Houston Food Bank, and partners like Legacy stepped up to ensure kids stayed nourished with free or low-cost meals throughout the break.

While the summer Mobile Market has now wrapped up, its impact lives on in the families it served and the partnerships it strengthened. Together, we’re creating a more equitable food system – and a healthier future for all Houstonians.