Mobile Oasis Brings Healthy Options to Manhattan Food Deserts

Access to affordable healthy food is a problem in poor communities throughout the U.S. Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and a local non-profit have developed one way to quickly boost the healthy food infrastructure in food deserts.

July 12, 2013, 5am PDT | Jonathan Nettler | @nettsj

"Starting Thursday, a van filled with fresh produce will hit the streets of the lower East Side, East Harlem, Washington Heights, and Inwood — aiming to bring low-cost, healthy food to the poor and the elderly," reports Tanay Warerkar.

“'We want to introduce mobile infrastructure to provide the most affordable options to underserved neighborhoods in the city,' said Michael Hurwitz of GrowNYC, a food and environment non-profit that is working on the project with Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer."

"Just $10 buys about 10 pounds of carrots, tomatoes, corn and other everyday foods — enough for a family of two for a week," adds Warerkar. "Hurwitz said Veggie Van produce will be priced 50% to 75% less than supermarkets.

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Produce-laden van to visit Manhattan ‘food deserts’

Published on Wednesday, July 10, 2013 in Daily News