October 19, 2026 by 4P Foods

Food is Medicine Partnership Highlight:

FLiPRx at Children’s National Hospital

Nourishing Families, Strengthening Local Farms

At 4P Foods, it’s no secret that we believe that access to nourishing food can and should strengthen both the health of our communities and the healthy livelihoods of the farmers who grow it. Through our partnership with FLiPRx, a produce prescription and lifestyle program at Children’s National in Washington, D.C., we are demonstrating how Food Is Medicine initiatives can address diet-related chronic health conditions, support long-term healthy lifestyle habits, and invest in a more resilient regional food system.

Growing the Impact of FLiPRx

FLiPRx makes fresh produce more accessible to families while supporting improved food security and nutrition. Research conducted to date suggests that the program is a viable intervention for reducing food insecurity, increasing fruit and vegetable intake, and helping families build healthier dietary habits that last. These findings reinforce the opportunity for Food Is Medicine programs to create benefits that extend beyond the individual.

Connecting Food Access with Local Agriculture

Another way FIM programs create benefits that extend beyond the families they serve, is by the way we source that food. Since day one, FLiPRx has been committed to partnering with 4P to build connections between families and the farmers that grow their food.

Recent data supports this. Between March 2025 and August 2026, FLipRx bags featured the following:

• 95% of produce came from suppliers located within 200 miles of 4P Foods’ Virginia warehouse.
• ~90% of produce was purchased directly from farms or farmer cooperatives.
• 32% of produce was organic.

• 6 of the 33 farms that supplied produce were USDA-certified organic.

• 33 producers and 2 food hubs were supported through direct purchases.
• 4,871 cases of produce purchased (cases are packed per standard produce specs and could be 12 bunches kale, 40 lbs of apples, or 8 strawberry clamshells)
• $147,931 in direct payments to suppliers

For small and mid-sized farms, dependable purchasing relationships through Food is Medicine contracts like 4P Foods and FliPRx can provide valuable market access, keep farming dollars in the actual hands of farmers, and create an economic multiplier in the state. It’s a win win!

Building a More Connected Food Is Medicine System

Food Is Medicine programs have the potential to address several connected challenges: food insecurity, diet-related health conditions, and barriers to accessing fresh foods. When these programs source locally and regeneratively, the impact is even greater. FLiPRx demonstrates how these goals can be pursued together.

This dual impact matters: Delivering nutrient-dense food to communities in need, while reshaping the systems through which food is grown, purchased, and delivered. When program design incorporates regional sourcing and direct farm relationships, health-focused investments can also contribute to stronger rural economies and a more nutrient-dense, resilient food supply.

There is still work to do to expand access, deepen producer relationships, and continue evaluating outcomes for participating families. But FLiPRx offers a promising example of how these priorities can reinforce one another, as seen in this great video and investigative reporting by Jay Korff, ABC7 from this winter. We extend our deepest gratitude to everyone involved in bringing this program to life—from its initial vision to the dedicated individuals driving its daily impact—and for helping share this story.