Dan Youngblood

Dan has lived with HIV for 40 years and has congestive heart failure. At 69, he's healthy and active — a feat that's required decades of hard work.

For the past 20 years, that's meant following the Mediterranean diet and exercising often, including by swimming at the YMCA twice a week and walking every day. All of the choices he makes around food and movement are intentional: he wants to stay healthy as he ages, and he knows what it looks like when people don't.

But as a retiree living on Social Security in downtown Raleigh, keeping his fridge stocked with the fresh produce his lifestyle depends on has often been out of reach.

Eat Well's produce prescription program changed that. Now Dan takes the bus to Food Lion and loads up on the berries, asparagus, and spinach that fuel his mornings — without the financial stress.

"My motto in life is move it or lose it — keep active, stay healthy, and eat good food. Eat Well has let me continue with that."