TampaWell Garden and Pharmacy opens
TAMPA - Healthcare professionals are combining medicine and food to create the ultimate wellness destination in Tampa.
On Monday, Tampa General Hospital officially opened the TampaWell Community Garden and Food Pharmacy adjacent to the TGH Family Care Center Healthpark.
The TampaWell Food Pharmacy at HealthPark will offer access to nutritious food in partnership with the Tampa YMCA and Feeding Tampa Bay.
In partnership with the City of Tampa, the garden will serve one of the most food insecure neighborhoods in Hillsborough County through the concept that "food is medicine."
For TampaWell Community Garden and Food Pharmacy Manager, Jenise Carr, opening something like this in East Tampa is a full-circle moment.
"It brought me to why I started organic farming in the first place," Carr said. "Which is because I was sick and tired of being sick and tired, and I recognize how food was impacting health."
Carr explained that anyone who is a TGH HealthPark patient, and has food insecurity, or diet-related illness such as hypertension, obesity and diabetes, can get a referral from their doctor to come to the food pharmacy, which gives them a six-month prescription for fresh fruits and vegetables and healthier shelf stable items. Patients can be assessed by their health care provider using the Hunger Vital Sign screening tool to determine eligibility.
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Feeding Tampa Bay also provides some healthy recipes, and all the ingredients are included in the options that they're able to shop for.
Carr added that the community garden is also a space for people to learn about nutrition and healthy eating habits, along with teaching the community to grow and prepare their own nutritious fruits and vegetables. Wellness and exercise classes will also be offered on the site, which will now be open from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily.
Phase two of the project will include building a classroom where cooking & educational classes will eventually be taught.
TampaWell has also launched an app to ensure everyone in the city has access to the free program.
The app tracks individual and community-wide progress and data and offer users information on health prevention programs, showcases wellness tourism opportunities and local hotels, including wellness event listings and share nutrition tips.
The TampaWell Food Pharmacy is next to the TGH Family Care Center Healthpark, located at 5802 N. 30th St, Tampa, FL 33610.
If you have questions, contact the TampaWell Food Pharmacy Manager at 813-844-3777 or click here.