INDIANAPOLIS — Far east side residents are hopeful of a new initiative working to eliminate food deserts.
The Mobile Community Grocery Store is set to open in a couple of weeks. The grocery store is located in a modified, temperature-controlled trailer that will travel to various locations.
“There are many places in our city where we currently have food deserts. If they're not food deserts, they're places that have foods that are not healthy, that one can pick up in a gas station and so on," explained Indianapolis City-County Council President Vop Osili, shortly after helping cut the ribbon on the new truck.
“Understanding the impact of nutritious food on the growth potential of their children and their grandchildren is incredibly important and they're incredibly important for our city and the future of our city,” Osili said.
The initiative was led by MT Carmel Church pastor Thernon Wiliams.
He says it can have a huge ripple effect on the community.
“There's research that has been done that suggests poor nutrition equals criminal behavior. And so we wanted to deal with this nutritional piece to provide an opportunity for people in the neighborhood and our community to have access to fresh food like everybody else," Williams said.
Williams said the small market hopes to deliver exactly what the neighborhoods need.
“Obviously, we don't have everything that the big food chains have, but we have the basic staples that everybody needs and it's fresh and so we're excited about meeting this need that exists in our community," Williams shared.
Leaders hope the new initiative encourages others to implement alternative food options.
“Can you imagine if every church in a food desert would have a mobile food market? We can eliminate the food desert without having to count on large chain grocery stores. “
The Mobile Community Grocery Store Schedule is below:
- Sunday 12:30 p.m.— 2:30 p.m., Mt. Carmel Church, 9610 East 42nd St.
- Tuesday 10:00 a.m.—11:00 a.m., Farrell Bell, 3935 N Franklin
- Tuesday 11:30 a.m.—12:30 a.m., Lakes at Crossbridge 7925 Crossbridge Dr.
- Tuesday 1:00 p.m.—2:00 p.m., Café, 8902 East 38th Street
- Wednesday 10:00 a.m.— 11:00 a.m., Meadowlark Apts., 9350 E 43rd St.
- Wednesday 11:30 a.m.—12:30 a.m., Carriage House, East 10174 Tinton Ct
- Thursday 10:00 a.m.—11:00 a.m., Pangea Vineyards, 10101 Monterey Rd.
- Thursday 11:30 a.m.— 12:30 p.m., Three Fountains, 4260 Geno Ct
- Thursday 1: 00 p.m.—2:00 p.m., Amber Woods, 10202 John Jay Dr.
More information about the store can be found on their website.
