Reducing Food Insecurity During COVID-19

Summary

This study aims to compare the effectiveness of two interventions to address food insecurity among low-income families with young children during the COVID pandemic. The investigators will conduct a parallel group, randomized controlled trial of 250 families. The first randomly assigned comparator is Fresh Connect, a produce prescription program that provides a stipend for participants to purchase fresh food items at mobile markets and independent farmers markets across Boston. The second comparator is grocery store gift cards, redeemable at conventional grocery stores. In each comparator, participants will be given the equivalent of $150 on a monthly basis for six consecutive months. All participants will be followed for 12 months to assess outcomes that involve food insecurity (primary), fruit and vegetable consumption, healthcare utilization, social service utilization, and physical/emotional health.

Conditions

• Food Insecurity

Interventions

OTHER

Produce prescription program

A monthly $150 stipend will be provided to participants for 6 consecutive months to purchase fresh food items at mobile markets and independent farmers markets across Boston.

OTHER

Grocery store gift cards

A monthly value of $150 in grocery store gift cards redeemable at conventional grocery stores will be provided to participants for 6 consecutive months.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute

  collaborator OTHER

• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

  collaborator FED

• Krupp Family Foundation

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Waldron Charitable Fund

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Boston Medical Center

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Kelsey A Egan, MD MSc · Boston Medical Center Department of Pediatrics

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2021-02-08

Primary Completion

2023-02-13

Completion

2023-02-13

Countries

• United States

Study Locations