Kathy Doyon, MSed, a trained health educator from the Healthy Community Coalition of Greater Franklin County, chats with a Food as Medicine Program participant. Submitted photo

FARMINGTON — MaineHealth is offering another round of its free one-year Food as Medicine program, which supports individuals with one or more chronic health conditions who have limited access to healthy food.

The program is facilitated by Kathy Doyon, a trained health educator from the Healthy Community Coalition of Greater Franklin County.

The next session is scheduled for 4:30-6:30 p.m. beginning Monday, Jan. 16, and includes face-to-face and virtual classes. In-person classes will be held in the food pantry at 200 Franklin Health Commons on the Franklin Memorial Hospital campus, according to a news release from Jill Gray, Communications & Public Affairs manager.

The criteria to be eligible for the FAM program include those who have limited access to affordable healthy food, are age 18 and older, have a chronic health condition, want to make healthy lifestyle changes, and have a MaineHealth primary care provider, which includes Franklin Health providers.

The program provides access to free healthy food (10 meals weekly for up to a family of four), peer support, goal setting, healthy cooking classes, recipes, and menu planning. Additionally, participants get helpful resources and information related to their chronic conditions.

“This new and exciting program is designed to meet people where they are at with their health, provide the right tools, skills and support to make small changes over time to feel better,” said LeeAnna Lavoie, HCC director. “Change can be hard, especially if people don’t have access to the right type of food to help keep them healthy. This program will provide the right food and teach skills to cook healthy, affordable, and most importantly, delicious food. All while being supported by others who are working on similar goals.”

The Food as Medicine Program is supported by Hannaford, MaineHealth and Good Shepherd Food Bank.

For more information about the classes or to sign up, email kathy.doyon@mainehealth.org.

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