Recently, GROW Community Food Literacy Centre launched its innovative GROW-on-the-GO Electric Mobile Market Program at Ailanthus Ave. Niagara Regional Housing in Niagara Falls.
GROW Community Food Literacy Centre, Canada’s first community food literacy centre established in 2019, said in a news release that it is taking its innovative approach to addressing food insecurity on the road with the launch of GROW-on-the-GO, Canada’s first electric mobile market. This initiative will directly bring fresh, affordable produce to communities facing barriers to accessing healthy food.
“Born from research by Dr. Pamela Farrell from the University of Calgary, GROW has already served thousands of vulnerable families through its unique food literacy centre in Niagara Falls. The centre features a family teaching kitchen and a fully stocked, low-cost grocery store offering subsidized prices to increase affordability and accessibility. With the fully electric GROW-on-the-GO mobile market truck, GROW expands its reach to serve up to 10 locations throughout the Niagara Region, promoting health and social well-being for low-income individuals and families living in food deserts,” it said.
“This mobile market is a game-changer for our community,” said Rose Iannacchino, Co-Executive Director of GROW. “By bringing fresh fruits and vegetables directly to neighbourhoods with limited access, we are removing transportation barriers, increasing affordability, and empowering individuals to make healthier choices for themselves and their families.”
Farrell, Founder and Co-Executive Director of the GROW Community Food Literacy Centre and Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary, whose research investigates sociocultural factors impacting and influencing food literacies, emphasized the importance of community collaboration in the GROW-on-the-GO mobile market launch:
“The launch of the GROW-on-the-GO mobile market is a testament to what we can achieve when communities come together. With the collective commitment of partners like the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Branscombe Family Foundation, the Rotary Club of Niagara Falls, Farmers’ Truck, and the Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Campaign, we are taking a significant step toward supporting food security in Niagara. This initiative directly brings fresh, affordable, and healthy options to those who need them most, and I am deeply grateful for the collaboration that made this possible.”
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