Evaluation of an indigenous produce box program: Food access and nutrition in an urban American Indian/Alaska native community

Food insecurity and access to healthy nutritious foods are ongoing issues for urban Indigenous communities across the United States. This manuscript describes a qualitative evaluation of a produce box program implemented by the Native American Community Clinic in Minneapolis and provides recommendations for sustainability of the program in the future.

This evaluation project reports on the experiences of AI/AN participants in a non-Indigenous produce box program through referral from an urban AI/AN health center. This evaluation is important because the program is new, and this is the first opportunity to present systematic data on how participants, staff and providers, community members, and key stakeholders perceive the program and for these groups to provide feedback and ideas for improvement. The findings of this evaluation will be used to support future funding efforts and improve the program.