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In an effort to help the local farm economy and make fresh, healthful foods more available to the community, NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital will be expanding its Farmers’ Market next season with a $99,899 grant awarded this week by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital was one of only 10 organizations in New York State and the only one in Westchester and Putnam to be awarded some of the $52 million distributed nationally for such programs through the 2014 Farm Bill. The funding was announced by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Monday in what he called a move to bolster the organic food industry and improve access to fresh foods for millions of Americans.

"NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital received the second highest grant award in the state," said the Hospital’s President John C. Federspiel. "These funds will allow us to expand our Farmers’ Market and to further our goal of reducing chronic diseases through healthy eating."

The Hospital’s Farmers’ Market, in its third season, is held on the Hospital campus from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month from May through November.

More than 12 farm vendors participate in the markets, part of the Hospital’s larger Harvest for Health initiative, 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. This July the Hospital officially opened the Chef Peter X. Kelly Teaching Kitchen, which is now offering a variety of healthful cooking classes to the community.

Federspiel said that the USDA grant will accomplish two goals: It will support local farmers by providing a venue for them to increase sales and it will help the Hospital make the market more accessible to the community. The Hospital plans to do this through a series of community outreach efforts. Also funded by the grant, will be purchase of EBT machines, which will allow farmers to accept Food Stamps, making fresh, healthful foods more affordable for lower-income residents.

Remaining Farmers' Market days are October 14 and 28; November 11 and 25.

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