AtlantiCare unveiled its new Community Mobile Market on Wednesday.
Hailed as a “grocery store on wheels,” the new vehicle will stock fresh produce and pantry items for sale at an affordable cost for 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 way to improving overall health and wellbeing.
"This program underscores our commitment to addressing food insecurity and promoting healthier communities,” AtlantiCare CEO and President Michael J. Charlton said. “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."
The Mobile Market is accessible noon to 2 p.m. Wednesdays at Atlantic Cape Community College’s Atlantic City campus, and starting June 26, from 9 to11 a.m. Wednesdays at the Baltic Plaza Apartments.
Future dates and locations will be announced later this summer.
Food items are priced below average market prices making it an affordable option for residents. The store will accept cash and credit card for payments.
AtlantiCare plans to accept SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) in the future to ensure that everyone can take full advantage of the mobile market.
Atlantic City ranks as the second-highest “food desert” community in New Jersey, 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 sponsored by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, and with generous support from the Gormley and Levine Family Foundations.
Learn more at www.atlanticare.org/mobilemarket.
