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In an effort to make fresh, wholesome foods more widely available to the community, NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital will be launching a shuttle service from downtown Peekskill to provide transportation to its Farmers’ Markets this season.

The hospital’s Farmers’ Market will launch its fourth season on May 12. More than a dozen vendors will offer a variety of products from fresh produce to gourmet specialty items on the hospital campus from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month from May through November.

"Half the battle of getting people to eat healthier is to make wholesome food more affordable and more readily available to those who might not have access to it," said John Federspiel, president of NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital. "Using a grant we were awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture last year, we will provide a shuttle service to and from downtown Peekskill to help those without transportation take advantage of the Farmers’ Market."

Federspiel said that the $99,899 USDA grant is meant to accomplish two goals: It will support local farmers and it will help the hospital make the market more accessible to the community. Also funded by the grant, is the purchase of an EBT machine, which will allow farmers to accept SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits. This will make fresh, healthful foods more affordable for lower-income residents, he said.

NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital was one of only 10 organizations in New York State and the only one in Westchester and Putnam counties to be awarded some of the $52 million distributed nationally for such programs through the 2014 Farm Bill.

The newest initiative is part of the hospital’s Harvest for Health program, which includes an organic garden, teaching kitchen and a locally-sourced food service for patients and employees. The program is aimed at using healthful eating as a way to prevent chronic disease and positively influence a patient’s recovery. The hospital opened the Chef Peter X. Kelly Teaching Kitchen last year. The kitchen offers a variety of healthful cooking classes to the community.

This year’s markets will be held on May 12 and 26; June 9 and 23; July14 and 28; August 11 and 25; September 8 and 22; October 13 and 27 and November 10 and 24.

To learn about Farmers’ Markets, shuttle stops or classes in the Peter X. Kelly Teaching Kitchen, call 914-734-3780 or log onto www.nyp.org/hudsonvalley and look under Harvest for Health.