Our Goal: $10,000

With support through a $5k match from an anonymous donor!

Amherst Mobile Market

Amherst Mobile Market not only makes affordable produce available within walking distance of residents who struggle to access healthy food, but also puts decision-making in the hands of low-income, BIPOC community members and builds the capacity of those community members to take on leadership roles.

While the challenges around food access in Amherst are ever present for some, others may be unaware that nearly all of Amherst's census tracts are designated as "food deserts" by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, meaning that they contain high concentrations of residents who are both low-income and live more than a mile from the grocery store. Residents without vehicles, who constitute 11% of Amherst's population, often report that it can take up to two hours to get to and from the grocery store by bus, and that expensive cab rides are often required for the trip home to prevent groceries from spoiling.

Valley Grows Day funding will support:

• Hiring and fairly compensating staff from the communities the market serves

• Subsidized mobile market farm shares for food insecure customers

• Sourcing sustainably grown produce from local farms and supplementing with tropical produce to accommodate a variety of food cultures