When you live in a county that is synonymous with the rolling countryside and an abundance of farms, it’s hard to imagine not having access to the fresh produce that makes our county so famous. But that is the case for residents in two Chester County food deserts—the urban setting of Coatesville and the rural area of Honey Brook.
A food desert is an area without access to fresh fruit, vegetables or other healthy whole foods. A large portion of households in these areas experience poverty and hunger, which a lack of fresh food retailers and access to public transportation only serves to worsen. Starting July 6, the Chester County Food Bank began bringing fresh foods, healthy staples and educational resources right to these residents with its new pilot program—weekly Fresh2You Mobile Markets.
The Fresh2You Mobile Market’s bright yellow, retrofitted step-up truck will be stocked with seasonal produce from the Food Bank’s Agricultural Program, which partners with multiple food growers in the region, including Springton Manor, Pete’s Produce, Charlestown Farm and Sankanac CSA. The Mobile Market also sources staple items like oranges, bananas, nuts and oils that they know customers will want to access and is a hub to learn about nutrition and the food bank’s services. Customers can discover new recipes, sample new dishes and watch cooking demonstrations.
“Food cupboards and food banks are meant to be supplemental food programs. Food cupboards supply anywhere from three to seven days’ worth of food, depending on the time of year and the amount of donated food available. Qualified participants at the cupboards still purchase their food throughout the month with SNAP or regular dollars to help them meet their food needs, but having access to healthy, fresh and affordable foods is a great challenge for tens of thousands in Chester County,” said Anne Shuniak, Community Engagement & Marketing Manager with the Chester County Food Bank.
The Fresh2You Mobile Market accepts all forms of payment, including debit/credit, cash, SNAP/EBT (food stamp) cards, WIC and Senior FMNP (Farmers Market Nutrition Program) vouchers.
The Mobile Market also offers two programs to make customers’ SNAP/EBT dollars go further when they purchase fresh produce. When purchasing fresh produce with SNAP/EBT cards, customers can earn double dollars (up to $10) that can be used to purchase more fresh produce from the truck. The Fresh+ rewards program encourages shoppers using SNAP/EBT cards to buy the healthiest options possible. For instance, shoppers earn points when they purchase Fresh+ items like beets and dark greens. Then, the points can be redeemed for special items like milk, eggs, meat, or utensils. To make it as easy as possible, the truck’s point-of-sale system keeps track of each household’s points.
The Food Bank surveyed its community partners to select the best times and locations for residents. Many preferred times and locations revolve around programs at popular community pillars. From July to November, the Fresh2You Mobile Market schedule will be:
- Mondays, 11 a.m.–1 p.m., The Coatesville Community Garden, 323 Lincoln Highway E., Coatesville
- Mondays, 3–5 p.m., Coatesville Center for Community Health, 1001 Lincoln Highway E., Coatesville
- Wednesdays, 3–5 p.m., Living God Lutheran Church, 3200 Horseshoe Pike, Honey Brook
- Thursdays, 10 a.m.–noon, Honey Brook Presbyterian Church, 4331 Horseshoe Pike, Honey Brook
- Thursdays, 4–6 p.m., Lincoln University Coatesville Campus, 351 Kersey St., Coatesville
For the first few weeks, the market will run out of the Food Bank’s regular trucks. Despite construction delays on their new truck, the coordinators felt it was important to start the program when they said it would.
“There is a large fear of abandonment in Coatesville. A lot of projects or people with flashy ideas come in and they don’t stay because they aren’t successful or whatever the reason,” explained Natania Schaumburg, Fresh2You Mobile Market Coordinator. “We’ll be there until November, every week, regardless if we have one customer or a hundred.”
The Chester County Food Bank has been “cooking up” this program for the past two and half years. Through grants from a private family foundation and the USDA, the food bank was able to retrofit a step-up truck with a food-prep area and refrigeration and get it on the road. Because this is a pilot year, the Food Bank plans to only be in these two areas and to use the winter months to evaluate how to improve or expand for next year.
“The Fresh2You Mobile Market is exactly the sort of innovative approach to making fresh food accessible to people of every income level and in every community. And it’s no surprise that it’s the Chester County Food Bank leading the way,” said Frances Sheehan, President and CEO of the Brandywine Health Foundation.
“Their focus on collecting and distributing healthy food, encouraging local farmers to have gleaning programs and running nutrition and cooking classes is exactly what’s needed in a world where a third of our children are overweight or obese. They’re not just part of the solution. … They are the solution!” continued Sheehan.
The Chester County Food Bank is a nonprofit organization that collects, grows, processes, stores and distributes food to 33 food cupboards and 60 meal sites across Chester County, Pa. In 2014, the Chester County Food Bank distributed 2.5 million pounds of food, of which 850,000 pounds was fresh produce. With a focus on fresh food, the Chester County Food Bank has developed nutrition and education programs to help foster healthier lifestyles in the community.
“By shopping at the Fresh2You Mobile Market, you are helping to support the Chester County Food Bank, local farmers and the local community,” said Shuniak.
- Photos: Nina Lea Photography
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