Barriers and Facilitators to Implementation of a Child Care Center-Based Produce Delivery Program

Background: Regular consumption of produce is a challenge for families with young children in low food access areas.Objective: A community partnership formed to evaluate feasibility of and interest in a child care center-based program for produce delivery from an online grocery vendor.Methods: Surveys were collected from caregivers across three child care centers, including produce program participants. Descriptive statistics summarize household characteristics and participants' experience with the program. Results: Challenges related to online payment and difficulty planning delivery times led to implementation of a modified intervention. Survey results revealed factors related to food access and storage that may impact interest and feasibility of online grocery in some communities.Conclusions: Online grocery vendors may increase accessibility to fresh produce for families, but barriers to their use still exist. Trusted community partners such as child care centers may offer some of the resources needed for success.