Aside from the local food truck craze, driven by folks who are looking to get myriad food options served up to them on the run, there is another type of food truck that has been making waves in the community.
The Growing Green Mobile Market is essentially a food truck that is designed to deliver healthy produce to neighborhoods that are considered “food deserts”. The truck is part of Massachusetts Avenue Project’s (MAP) mission to support urban farming and the effective distribution of healthy produce.
At this point, MAP is looking for community partners that understand the importance of the Growing Green Mobile Market, and its role in the community. Local not-for-profits and businesses that feel that they would make good hosts for the mobile market are being asked to apply to MAP for the 2015 season.
Without these types of partnerships, the healthy goods (grown right here in Buffalo) don’t find their way into people’s homes. The mobile market typically sets up at “sites on a weekly basis, for two to three hours at a time, from late May until November, rain or shine.”
Along with the dissemination of affordable healthy foods, MAP also hands out recipes and food samples, disseminates nutrition information, and conducts consumer surveys. In 2014, the organization set up shop at six locations throughout the city and served over 3000 customers. It is MAP’s hope that this trend continues to grow, in additional underserved communities throughout the city.
Consider being partner host with this integral program, and witness the beneficial results that the Mobile Market has on nearby families.
Applications are due March 2, 2015. The Mobile Market accepts cash, SNAP, and WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program checks. Copies of the application and more information about the Growing Green Mobile Market can be found on the organization’s website, www.mass-ave.org. Further inquiries can be addressed to the attention of the Markets Director, Danielle Rovillo, by calling 716-882-5327, extension 4, or by emailing danielle@mass-ave.org.