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Twin Cities Mobile Market Delivers Healthy Food To Hundreds

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Twin Cities Mobile Market is bringing healthy food to areas that need it the most.

The brightly-colored Mobile Market is a far cry from the Metro Transit bus it used to be.

"We ripped out the seats," program manager Leah Driscoll said. "We retrofitted it into a grocery store."

The Twin Cities Mobile Market got rolling in December. They expected to serve about 300 people the first month, but they are already at 800.

"We've had a really great response," Driscoll said.

They have fruits, veggies, milk and meat -- everything that is needed for a well-rounded meal.

Well, except for dessert.

"There are no chips, no pop, no junk foods of any kind," Driscoll said.

They accept cash, credit and SNAP/EBT. The food is also at lower prices than most grocery stores.

"Our business model is based on buying food at the lowest cost possible," Driscoll said. "We have some partners that help us do that."

Their mission is to bring healthy food to people who may not have otherwise had access.

"They don't have to stand outside in the cold waiting for the bus," Driscoll said. "We had one customer who said this is the first time in two years she's been able to eat fruit."

That healthy diet lasts longer than a few bites. Research shows it helps improve health, reduce healthcare costs and improve education outcomes.

Residents in neighborhoods with limited access to healthy food are at higher risk of diabetes and heart disease.

"We go to 17 different stops weekly," Driscoll said. "We're serving areas where people may not necessarily have access to a full-service grocery store."

The Mobile Market is a Wilder Foundation program. They are also planning to partner with local farmers during the growing season and potentially add more buses in the future.

Click here for more information on the Twin Cities Mobile Market and where it stops.

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