LOUISIANA, La. (KLFY) -- The Fresh Connect program was created for families to be able to use food as medicine. It will also help families get more access to fruits and vegetables, fighting health concerns and hunger.

The program is led by the No Kid Hungry campaign out of Washington D.C. It was funded through a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help combat childhood hunger and increase access to healthier food options for people looking to provide a more nutritional diet.

Sarah Mills with Share our Strength, the organization behind the No Kid Hungry campaign, says the goal is to "reduce hunger for families by improving food security and putting money in people's pockets to be able to augment their food budgets."

The Fresh Connect funds will be distributed to each family through a Fresh Connect debit card in the mail which would be loaded with $40 every month for six months.

"It is able to be used at most major grocery store chains like Walmart, Albertsons and Winn-Dixie. They can also use it at local retailers and farmer's markets," said Mills.

Families with children between the ages of three and 17 living in Lafayette Parish, Acadia Parish, St. Landry Parish, Washington Parish, Tangipahoa Parish and St. Helena Parish are eligible for the program if enrolled in a Medicaid health plan. Mills says the program has received positive feedback through families already taking part in it as it allows them to afford food options which they are normally unable to consistently have.

"Buying the healthy items are much harder to afford on a limited budget, so having those extra $40 for fruits and vegetables have been super helpful for the family budget."

Families can enroll through a referral from a doctor in the parishes that have been approved.

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