LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Unfortunately, some Kentuckians don't have immediate access to healthy food and fresh produce. The Kroger Company's "Zero Hunger Mobile Market" aims to make a difference for people who live in some Louisville neighborhoods.
The 50-foot trailer is filled with fresh fruits, veggies, dairy and produce. The single aisle is already making a big difference.
“To actually be able to get up, and walk outside you front door, and have the grocery store right there it's absolutely amazing. Because, it's convenient, it has all your essential items on there, and I really appreciate what they do, and the neighborhoods they are coming to," customer Brittany White said.
Kroger says that more than 47,000 people who live in Louisville aren’t able to get to full-service grocery stores. That means they might not be able to get produce, like fresh corn or bright apples, unless they spend hours on a city bus. Once they get there, they might not be able to easily get their bags home.
So Kroger and “Dare to Care” partnered with the city to make the Mobile Market possible.
“I’m so excited. At Kroger, our purpose is to feed the human spirit and ending hunger in our communities is part of one of biggest initiatives is our passion and something we are experts in we are experts in feeding hungry people and there isn't a better way to do that then by taking the groceries into neighborhoods with low food access to help feed their families, Erin Grant, with The Kroger Co., said.
“In the case of Dare to Care, we put about $200,000 into this vehicle through the generosity of our donors. We own the vehicle, we own the truck, the drivers are Dare to Care-employed. Kroger is is responsible for putting the food on the vehicle and staffing it with three full-time employees," Brian Reindendo, with Dare to Care, said.
The marketplace makes one stop in the morning and one in the afternoon five days a week.
The food costs the same amount as if the Mobile Market customers have a Kroger Plus Card, even if they don't.
People who stopped by for Friday's ribbon cutting were impressed.
“The fruits and vegetables and many other items that Kroger has are here. It gives people an option to instead of picking up that impulse candy bar item, instead they can grab an apple or a banana and get the same satisfaction," Firefighter Stevon Morris said.
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