Produce Perks Midwest is an Ohio nonprofit with a mission to improve the health of underserved communities by increasing affordable access to healthy foods.
Produce Perks Midwest pioneers solutions to strengthen Ohio's local food systems. Our work increases affordable access to healthy food, supports local farmers and stimulates local food economies throughout Ohio.
Produce Perks — Ohio's Nutrition Incentive Program — empowers low-income families to eat more fruits and vegetables while supporting local farmers and strengthening local economies.
We help families buy fresh, healthy food from local farmers. This is a simple yet powerful idea with vast opportunity for impact. Produce Perks doubles the purchasing power for low-income shoppers - providing a $1 for $1 match for families and individuals receiving SNAP (formerly known as food stamps) when spent on healthy foods. Our match can be used to purchase fruits and vegetables, stretching the SNAP $ for additional healthy foods.
Healthy foods reaaches the homes of more low-income families.
Local farmers sell more produce.
Local food dollars are spent in local economies.
Produce Perks is available to ALL Ohio SNAP recipients.
Our programs are available to the over 1.6 million Ohioans experiencing food insecurity. Since 2017, Produce Perks Midwest has generated over $18 million in healthy food sales.
Meet the passionate people behind Produce Perks Midwest.
Program Manager
Sarah Braun
Sarah has dedicated her career to strengthening communities as both a social worker and a small business owner. She has over a decade of professional and volunteer experience in the non-profit sector, during which she has held positions focused on behavioral health, access to quality education, and systems change aimed at addressing social determinants of health.
Program Manager
Emily Diefendorf
While living in Pennsylvania, Emily discovered her passion for local foods and relationships with the people that grow and produce that food. This passion turned into a career when a position became available at the Northside Farmers Market as an assistant manager and later manager. Over the next nine years, Emily focused on supporting the community and growers and producers. Emily holds a master’s degree in Secondary Science Education from The Pennsylvania State University and Bachelor’s degrees in Geology and Environmental Studies from The University of Tennessee.
Program Manager
Katie Jameson
You may have seen Katie last summer supporting the TANF fruit & veggie coupon program at local farmers markets across the state as one of PPM's Market Events Coordinators. Katie has long been a champion of sustainable agriculture and fresh food access, starting with her time as an AmeriCorps VISTA for a community garden initiative at Wilmington College.
Program Coordinator
Anna Schlegel
Anna holds a Masters in Social Work from the Ohio State University. Her career includes Program Coordinator roles in the nonprofit sector, serving domestic violence survivors and working on an urban farm. Working on the farm sparked her passion for local food systems, sustainability, and nutrition incentives. Outside of work, you can find her hiking, gardening, reading, or trying new recipes.
Program Manager
Rachel Tayse
Rachel is a vegetable enthusiast who owned and operated certified organic urban produce farms for eight seasons and is passionate about centering farmers in food and land access projects. Rachel's career includes roles as a program coordinator and executive director for the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association, the program and systems manager for the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion, and an independent sustainable agriculture consultant.
Operations Manager
Daena Johnson
Daena comes to Produce Perks Midwest as a finance and operations professional with a passion for nonprofits, sustainability, and supporting local. Previously, she worked as the Office Manager for Countryside, a nonprofit focused on promoting local food and farming initiatives. Daena is a member of Torchbearers, class of 2022, a nonprofit focused on developing emerging leaders in the Greater Akron area.
Accounts Manager
Heather Collins
Heather graduated with a bachelor's degree in Accounting from the University of Cincinnati and has previously worked as an auditor for the Auditor of State of Ohio and as an Accountant for Hamilton City Schools as well as serving as the Treasurer for the Williamsburg PTA. She is passionate about children and animals. She lives on five acres in Williamsburg, Ohio with her husband, three children and a variety of animals.
Senior Development Manager
Chelsea Csuhran
Chelsea grew up in a household focused on helping others. After healing herself through food, she realized the impact local food can have on one's health and developed a deep passion for increasing food access to those in need. She has worked in the local food system and nonprofit sector for over 8 years, and most recently served as the Food Rescue Program Director at Hunger Network.
Director of Programs
Ana Bird
Ana's love for food, farming, and sustainability began when her family moved to West Virginia to homestead. Since then, she explored her love of farming by volunteering on organic farms in Lithuania, France, and Italy for two years prior to moving to Cincinnati. Before her position with Produce Perks Midwest, Ana managed the Northside Farmers Market, where she developed educational programming and projects to address food insecurity.
Director of Health Partnerships
Debbie Serenius
Debbie is a registered dietitian nutritionist with a passion for helping individuals and groups improve their health. As a founding member of Produce Perks Midwest, she serves as the Director of Health Partnerships, with a focus on health initiatives and PRx prescription programming. She provides Medical Nutrition Therapy to individuals, and is a sought after public speaker and a wellbeing consultant to local organizations.
Director of Data & Evaluation
Erin Molnar
Erin is passionate about local agriculture, food production and food systems equity and equally passionate about data and analytics, and efficient and effective process creation and management - a perfect combination for her role at Produce Perks Midwest. Erin was previously the Director of Local Food Programs at Countryside, where she oversaw Countryside's farmers' markets and coordinated food access programs.
Executive Director
Tevis Foreman
Tevis has over ten years experience addressing issues of population health and public policy, with a focus on healthy, equitable food system development. He serves on the OH Food Policy Network Governance Committee, the OH Department of Health - State Health Improvement Plan, the Greater Cincinnati Regional Food Policy Council, and the Cincinnati Health Department's (CHD) Health Impact Assessment (HIA) committee, among others.
Our Funders
Meet the organizations that support Produce Perks Midwest.
Featured Funders
