Our team conducts research and evaluation measuring the impact of the Harvest Share program on diet and social outcomes. Read more about our research findings and publications below.
OUR IMPACT
1000
lbs
of produce worth $195,712 provided to community members from 2022 – 2025
1000
lbs
of produce worth $15,875 donated to local schools and families from 2023 – 2025
1000
lbs
of grains and beans worth $10,275 provided to families from May 2025 – April 2026
500
seedlings distributed from 2024 – 2025
Harvest Share is more than food – it’s about connection, joy, and community.
“Everyone has been so friendly and helpful and having access to affordable veggies has been amazing! It also felt like a good supply and not overwhelming.”
“I absolutely loved participating in this! I learned so much and got fresh veggies and to visit a lovely place away from the city one day a week. I miss it already!”
“Great value when you think of the cost of fresh product at a supermarket.”
“Great program! Loved the farm-fresh vegetables. Getting produce encouraged us to cook more and eat healthy. Even walking to the Brooklyn Grange was a nice exercise.”
PROGRAM OUTCOMES
Harvest share offers sliding scale or subsidized fresh produce boxes that are grown by our farm partners and features seasonal vegetables weekly for 20 weeks throughout the summer and fall season.
Brooklyn Grange is the leading rooftop farming business in the U.S. growing a wide variety of crops from Chinese, Caribbean, and Bangladeshi cuisines.
Angel Family Farm is a family-owned farm focused on growing Mexican crops.
On average about 125 community members are receiving roughly 11,600 lbs of produce worth $90,0000 each year.
In 2022, participants reported:
- Eating more (about 1/2 cup) and new types of vegetables
- Greater knowledge of vegetable preparation
In 2023 participants reported:
- Eating more (about 1/3 cup) and new types of vegetables
- Greater knowledge of vegetable preparation
- 11% were repeat participants from previous years
In 2024 participants reported:
- Eating more (about 1/2 cup) and new types of vegetables
- Greater knowledge of vegetable preparation
- Reduced perceived stress
- Greater individual happiness
- 49% were repeat participants from previous years
In 2025 participants reported:
- Eating more (about ½ cup) of vegetables
- Eating a greater variety of vegetables in their diet
- 49% were repeat participants from previous years
Participants also appreciated:
- Urban rooftop farm as location of weekly pickups and workshops
- Cultural relevance of produce/nutrition information
- In-person language support
- Access to greenspace invoking nostalgia for home countries
- Increased family meal-sharing
- Sense of community
- Costs savings allowing them to pay bills or purchase other food items
In-language recipe cards
Harvest Share creates in-language recipe cards with familiar, easy-to-prepare recipes, and nutrition, health, and cooking information.
To date, we have created 87 recipes in simplified Chinese, 42 recipes in Spanish, and 15 recipes in Bangla and more to come.
Cooking demonstrations
We work with community partners to offer cooking demonstrations to showcase different recipes using vegetables from the produce box.
- From 2023-2025, we offered 14 cooking demonstrations to 253 community members.
Farm tours
We offer farm tours for community members to learn more about how the produce they received were grown and connect with farmers that provide their vegetables.
- From 2023-2025, we offered 14 farm tours.
Gardening workshops
We work with farming and gardening organizations to host gardening workshops to provide seedlings and information and resources to garden at home.
- From 2023-2025 we offered 7 gardening workshops
Delivery of leftover CSA produce shares to CPC’s Little Star Early Childhood Center for children’s congregate meals
2023 Donation
1,112 lbs (market value of $4,450)
2024 Donation
1,675 lbs (market value of $6,700)
2025 Donation
788 lbs (market value of $4,725)
We partner with small businesses to host cooking workshops and explore opportunities to feature locally grown produce in different dishes.
During 2024-2025, we collaborated with Hainan Chicken House to host 3 cooking workshops.
In collaboration with Brooklyn Grange and The Singing Winds, Harvest Share launched its Seedlings program, which distributes culturally appropriate seedlings to the Bangladeshi community in Brooklyn for home gardening.
2024 Distribution
3,172 seedlings distributed to P.S. 230 in Kensington
2025 Distribution
9,540 seedlings distributed to P.S. 230 in Kensington, P.S. 94 in Sunset Park, and Myrtle Village Green Community Garden in Bedford-Stuyvesant.
2026 Distribution
5,040 seedlings distribution to P.S. 230 in Kensington
In collaboration with CPC, Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming, and Curio, Harvest Share launched Family Box in May 2025.
Family Box is a 12-month monthly box program that includes locally sourced grains, legumes, nutrition information, and bilingual children’s books for Chinese families in Manhattan.
- From 2025-2026, families received 4,367 lbs of grains and beans worth $10,275.
In collaboration with NY CEAL, Brooklyn Grange, Brooklyn Center for Quality Life, Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health, CAMBA, and Caribbean Women’s Health Association, the East Flatbush Produce Program launched in June 2025.
The East Flatbush Produce Program is a 20-week weekly client-choice food pantry program for the Afro-Caribbean community in East Flatbush.
This program also includes a 15-week weekly produce program targeting the Latine and Afro-Caribbean communities in East Flatbush, featuring pre-packaged fresh produce from Brooklyn Grange farm with a swap-box to honor client preferences.
In 2025, participants reported:
- Higher skin carotenoid scores (equal to eating about 1/2 cup more fruits and vegetables every day)
- Reduced severe food insecurity levels (50% decrease)
- Enjoyment of fresh, culturally-appropriate produce
In 2022 participants reported:
- Eating more (about ½ cup) and new types of vegetables
- Greater knowledge of vegetable preparation
In 2023 participants reported:
- Eating more (about 1/3 cup) and new types of vegetables
- Greater knowledge of vegetable preparation
- 11% were repeat participants from previous years
In 2024 participants reported:
- Eating more (about ½ cup) and new types of vegetables
- Greater knowledge of vegetable preparation
- Reduced perceived stress
- Greater individual happiness
- 49% were repeat participants from previous years
In 2025 participants reported:
- Eating more (about ½ cup) of vegetables
- Eating a greater variety of vegetables in their diet
- 49% were repeat participants from previous years
Participants also appreciated:
- Urban rooftop farm as location of weekly pickups and workshops
- Cultural relevance of produce/nutrition information
- In-person language support
- Access to greenspace invoking nostalgia for home countries
- Increased family meal-sharing
- Sense of community
- Costs savings allowing them to pay bills or purchase other food items
Delivery of leftover CSA produce shares to CPC’s Little Star Early Childhood Center for children’s congregate meals
2023 Donation
1,112 lbs (market value of $4,450)
2024 Donation
1,675 lbs (market value of $6,700)
2025 Donation
788 lbs (market value of $4,725)
In collaboration with Brooklyn Grange and The Singing Winds, Harvest Share launched its Seedlings program, which distributes culturally appropriate seedlings to the Bangladeshi community in Brooklyn for home gardening.
2024 Distribution
3,172 seedlings distributed to P.S. 230 in Kensington
2025 Distribution
9,540 seedlings distributed to P.S. 230 in Kensington, P.S. 94 in Sunset Park, and Myrtle Village Green Community Garden in Bedford-Stuyvesant.
2026 Distribution
5,040 seedlings distribution to P.S. 230 in Kensington
In collaboration with CPC, Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming, and Curio, Harvest Share launched Family Box in May 2025.
Family Box is a 12-month monthly box program that includes locally sourced grains, legumes, nutrition information, and bilingual children’s books for Chinese families in Manhattan.
From 2025-2026, families received 4,367 lbs of grains and beans worth $10,275.
In collaboration with NY CEAL, Brooklyn Grange, Brooklyn Center for Quality Life, Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health, CAMBA, and Caribbean Women’s Health Association, the East Flatbush Produce Program launched in June 2025.
The East Flatbush Produce Program is a 20-week weekly client-choice food pantry program for the Afro-Caribbean community in East Flatbush.
This program also includes a 15-week weekly produce program targeting the Latine and Afro-Caribbean communities in East Flatbush, featuring pre-packaged fresh produce from Brooklyn Grange farm with a swap-box to honor client preferences.
In 2025, participants reported:
– Higher skin carotenoid scores (equal to eating about 1/2 cup more fruits and vegetables every day)
– Reduced severe food insecurity levels (50% decrease)
– Enjoyment of fresh, culturally-appropriate produce
UPGRADES TO COMMUNITY SPACES
- PS 169 community fridge
- PS 169 hydroponics
- PS 503/506 patio graden
- CPC Brooklyn Community Center rooftop garden
- CPC Queens Community Center backyard garden
- Albemarle Playground
PARTNERSHIP OUTCOMES
Through participation in Harvest Share, our partners:
- Helped develop new programming
- Made recommendations to policymakers
- Built new relationships helpful to their organization
- Grew greater capacity to serve their communities and clients
- Acquired new knowledge and skills
“In the Harvest Share Program, I’ve been able to develop relationships and that’s allowed me to connect with partner organizers outside of this work.”
“I think that they’re all stellar partners. I’m in awe of what they do. When I attend a meeting…I’m just so impressed with the intent, the integrity, the purpose. And I believe it should be considered very successful from what I can see.”
“I would say that this project is one of the first where there’s language accessibility is critical. All the meetings are done in English, Mandarin, and Spanish, which is fantastic.”
KEY STUDIES & LEARNINGS
Research Papers
Click on the titles below to view the full papers.
- Lu I, Suss R, Lanza DV, Cohen S, Yusuf Y, Yi SS. A qualitative study to inform the development of a subsidized community-supported agriculture program for Chinese Americans in Brooklyn, New York, U.S. Prev Med Rep. 2023;36:102480. Published 2023 Oct 14. doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2023.102480
- Chebli P, Đoàn LN, Thompson RL, Chin M, Sabounchi N, Foster V, Huang TTK, Trinh-Shevrin C, Kwon SC, Yi SS. Identifying opportunities for collective action around community nutrition programming through participatory systems science. Cancer Causes Control. 2023;34(12):1043-1058. doi:10.1007/s10552-023-01751-6
- Ali SH, Lin NF, Yi SS. Challenging Dietary Research Measures, Concepts, and Definitions to Promote Greater Inclusivity of Immigrant Experiences: Considerations and Practical Recommendations. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2023;123(11):1533-1540. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2023.06.280
- Park JK, Yi SS. Transportation and language access as crucial pillars for an immigrant-inclusive 21st-century food security program. Public Health Nutr. 2023;26(9):1925-1929. doi:10.1017/S1368980023000575
- Chan SW, Chin M, Suss R, Kui K, Lam SZ, Dowd E, Bosen C, Mei S, Barth K, Hughes M, Yi SS. A Culturally Specific Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program to Improve Diet in Immigrant Communities in Brooklyn, New York. Health Promotion Practice. 2024;0(0). doi:10.1177/15248399241234058
- LeCroy MN, Suss R, Russo RG, et al. Looking Across and Within: Immigration as a Unifying Structural Factor Impacting Cardiometabolic Health and Diet. Ethn Dis. 2024;33(2-3):130-139. Published 2024 Apr 10. doi:10.18865/ed.33.2-3.130
- Scherer M, Cárdenas L, Russo R, et al. “It Has to Be Culturally Inclusive”: Food Distribution Services for Diverse Communities in New York City. Health Promot Pract. Published online November 21, 2024. doi:10.1177/15248399241298800
- Chan SW, Laynor G, Ali SH, Yi SS. Nutrition and diet in the general U.S. Asian American population: A scoping review protocol. PLoS One. 2024;19(8):e0309219. Published 2024 Aug 23. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0309219
- Yi SS, Hade EM, Doan LN, Chan SWC, Kwon SC. Lessons Learned to Improve Engagement, Recruitment and Retention of Multilingual Communities: A Case Study of a Fresh Produce Box Program. Frontiers in Public Health. 2025.
- Chan SWC, Godbole N, LeCroy MN, Kuang KM, Cheng J, Beasley JM, Laynor G, Wang VH, Ali SH, Yi SS. Diet in the General United States Asian American Population: A Scoping Review. Current Developments in Nutrition. 2026.
- Chan SW, Kamal F, Dowd R, Sultana S, Islam NS, Yi SS. A community-informed approach to develop a gardening model for the Bangladeshi community in Brooklyn, NY. Health Promotion International. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daag065
Findings
Click on the titles below to view the full findings.
2020-2021 findings:
English data brief: Changes to the Food Retail Environment due to COVID-19: A Snapshot of the NYC Experience, May to July 2020
The NYU Covid Closures (CoClo) Study aimed to understand the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the closures of food retail stores, restaurants, and produce vendors in six NYC neighborhoods. After selection of 6 lower- and higher-resourced neighborhoods based on characteristics reported in the NYC Neighborhood Health Atlas, restaurants and food retail stores for each neighborhood were ascertained by the most up-to-date sources of information. To assess COVID-19 closures for restaurants, food retails stores, and produce vendors, the study team followed a rigorous procedure of checks: internet, call, and in-person. This study found that lower-resourced neighborhoods had fewer food outlets, restaurants are more likely to close than food retail stores, and that there were higher proportions of COVID-19 food outlet closures in Chinese neighborhoods compared to other neighborhoods. In conclusion, food outlets in ethnically Chinese neighborhoods have faced a disproportionate impact during COVID-19. Restaurants and produce vendors were particularly socioeconomically impacted.
2023 updated findings:
Mapping the rebound of the NYC Fresh Fruit and Vegetable environment – The NYU Covid Closures Study (2019-2023)
Building on the initial findings outlined above, additional data collection was conducted in 2021 and 2023 to assess the long-term impact of the pandemic on fresh fruit and vegetable (FFV) vendors particularly, and whether the FFV retail environment has started to bounce back since the onset of the pandemic. 8 neighborhoods were selected across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx for this study, reflecting approximately 1.2 million people and 52 square kilometers and comprising communities with large high-income, low-income, and Chinese populations: Chinatown, East Harlem, Upper East Side, Park Slope, Sunset Park, Brownsville, Flushing, and South Bronx. This study found that vendors starting to gradually open up again, Chinese neighborhoods (Chinatown, Sunset Park, Flushing) are key hotspots for FFV vendors, and new FFV vendors were opened in 2023.