New Mobile Food Delivery System Will Bring Fresh Produce to Under-Served Communities – and Connect Rural Farmers with Urban Tables
New York, NY – Standing in front of an abandoned grocery store on the Lower East Side – in a neighborhood hard hit by Hurricane Sandy – Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer today unveiled the “Veggie Van,” a mobile greenmarket that will deliver fresh and locally-grown produce directly to New Yorkers in underserved communities. The Borough President said the Veggie Van, developed in close partnership with GrowNYC, is “the culmination of seven years of work” by his office to expand access to fresh food for Manhattan residents through the Go Green Initiative.
Under the Veggie Van program, which begins operations today, residents can sign-up through participating community-based organizations to receive a large bag of fresh fruit and vegetables once a week for only ten dollars. The van will travel to senior centers, public housing developments, nursing homes and large residential complexes, and will accept cash, debit, credit, EBT (food stamps) – so everyone can take part.
“All New Yorkers deserve access to fresh food, regardless of where they live,” said Borough President Stringer. “The Veggie Van will deliver it at a price you can’t beat to residents who live in food deserts and can’t easily travel to supermarkets, green markets or farmer markets. Our Go Green initiative started as an ambitious and unparalleled mission to expand access to fresh fruits and vegetables to underserved neighborhoods throughout Manhattan, and the Veggie Van will play a crucial link in this food chain.”
“We are thrilled at the launch of the Veggie Van, which will bring hundreds of thousands of pounds of the healthiest and freshest foods to all New Yorkers while generating crucial income for our upstate mid-size farmers who we are losing faster than any other farm type,” said Marcel Van Ooyen, Executive Director of GrowNYC. “Borough President Stringer has worked with us for over six years identifying ways to increase food access in Manhattan and to support our State’s farm economy. We are grateful to him and his team and to all of our other partners that made today possible.”
Victor Papa, Executive Director of Two Bridges Neighborhood Council said: “Two Bridges is pleased to be part of this food initiative which benefits our seniors who have been left without the convenience of a supermarket that was very proximate to their apartments. Otherwise, they have to walk several blocks for fresh produce and other grocery items. We are grateful to Borough President Scott Stringer for taking the leadership role on this.”
Initial drop-offs will take place in the Two Bridges neighborhood, which suffered heavy damage during Hurricane Sandy, and has a high concentration of New York City Housing Authority residences. Future drop-offs will include other isolated communities that are essentially “food deserts” with few affordable, healthy greenmarkets, including Washington Heights, East, West and Central Harlem, and Inwood. Drop-offs will be made once a week at designated locations which will be determined by demand.
“This program provides an essential service by bringing fresh, healthy food to our Lower East Side community. Improving access to quality produce, particularly in this area, is a top priority, which is why I fought so hard to prevent the Pathmark from leaving and why I have helped secure a commitment for a new grocery store at this location. I would like to thank Borough President Stringer, Two Bridges Neighborhood Council and GrowNYC for their efforts on behalf of our community,” said New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.
“Pathmark’s closure has created a food desert in what is an already-underserved Lower East Side,” said New York State Senator Daniel Squadron. “Residents need access to fresh food at low prices that most other New Yorkers take for granted. I would like to thank Borough President Scott Stringer, GrowNYC and Two Bridges Neighborhood Council for bringing this crucial resource to the neighborhood.”
“Fruits and vegetables are an essential part of a healthy lifestyle, and I am excited that the Veggie Van makes it easier than ever to enjoy the delicious, locally-grown produce that New York City has to offer,” said New York City Councilmember Margaret Chin.
The Manhattan Borough President’s office allocated $85,000 in capital funding to help make the Veggie Van a reality. GrowNYC made a contribution of $3,000 to help put the Veggie Van on the road, and will help sustain the program at the annual cost of $47,850.
It is anticipated that this year the Veggie Van will deliver 300,000 pounds of fresh produce to communities in need, to seniors and to schools. And it’s estimated that for every food stamp dollar used to purchase the bag, an additional 79 cents will go to the regional enivorment, adding hundreds of thousands of dollars to the New York state economy, while addressing community wellness.
Since 2007, the Manhattan Borough President’s Office and GrowNYC have been partnering to establish greenmarkets in underserved communities. By the end of this fall, 21,000 school-aged children from disadvantaged areas will have learned about making healthy food choices after visiting their local farmer’s market through the YouthBucks program. Last October, the two made history by sponsoring New York City’s first ever night time greenmarket. On July 17th, they’ll be partnering again to host Union Square’s first night time farmer’s market.
First introduced by Borough President Stringer in his 2007 State of the Borough Address, Go Green is a comprehensive initiative that focuses on six core areas: public health and asthma, parks and open space, sustainable business, farmers markets and healthy eating, green building, and transportation.
There are currently three chapters of Go Green, all of which are led by a steering committee: East Harlem, Washington Heights & Inwood, and Lower East Side. Steering committees are comprised of residents; civic, community, business and not-for-profit leaders; environmental experts and advocates, health experts, merchants and business owners and are committed to reversing decades of environmental injustice and degradation by developing a plan for greening a neighborhood where environmental disparities have been most acute.
For more information on Go Green, visit: http://mbpo.org/gogreen
Contact: Megan Dougherty (212) 669-8143, (407) 256-6711
DUTCH HERRING ARRIVAL DELAYED TO WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19;