Offering healthy produce and pantry items at a lower cost, mobile market structured to address food insecurity throughout Atlantic City
Today, AtlantiCare unveiled its new Community Mobile Market. Hailed as a grocery store on wheels, this new vehicle will stock fresh produce and pantry items to be purchased at an affordable cost by families throughout Atlantic City. The Community Mobile Market is a part of AtlantiCare’s efforts to meet the needs of the community it serves by addressing food insecurity as a means to improving overall health and well-being.
“This program underscores our commitment to addressing food insecurity and promoting healthier communities,” said Michael J. Charlton, president and CEO, AtlantiCare. “By bringing fresh, nutritious, affordable food directly to those who need it most, we are taking a significant step toward improving the overall health of our region. This initiative is about more than food— it’s about creating lasting change and ensuring everyone has access to the essentials for a healthier life.”
Food items for the Community Mobile Market are priced below average market prices making it an affordable option for residents. The store will accept cash and credit card for payments with plans to accept SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) in the future to ensure that everyone can take full advantage of the Mobile Market.
Out of the 50 Food Desert Communities (FDCs) in New Jersey, Atlantic City ranks as the second-highest, highlighting the need for programs aimed at reducing food insecurity – an issue that has critical down-the-line impacts on community health and well-being. According to the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, food insecurity has a profound impact on health, leading to nutritional deficiencies, higher risks of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension, and worsening mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. For children, it can result in developmental delays and learning difficulties due to insufficient nutrition.
The AtlantiCare Community Mobile Market is initially supported by a sponsorship from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) and with generous support from the Gormley and Levine Family Foundations. The Mobile Market will be accessible Wednesdays from 12 to 2 p.m. at Atlantic Cape Community College’s Atlantic City campus and Wednesdays from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Baltic Plaza Apartments, starting on June 26. Future dates and locations will be announced later this summer.
The community can learn more and find out when and where the Community Mobile Market truck will be stopping by visiting www.atlanticare.org/mobilemarket.
