Now in its third year, the Kraft Foods Mobile Pantry program has so far delivered 33 million pounds of food to peoplein need as part of this three-year, $4.5 million [image-nocss] partnership with Feeding America. By adding 10 trucks to the fleet this year, they will reach even more people with an additional nine million pounds of food. Over the course of three years, the goal for the entire fleet of 25 trucks will be to deliver 50 million meals.
"The mobile pantries are uniquely designed to help food banks expand their reach and bring food assistance to underserved areas," said Nicole Robinson, vice president of the Kraft Foods Foundation. "With a diverse selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy and protein, the trucks deliver a good mix of nutrition and help close the gap for our neighbors in the nation's food deserts."
The 10 beverage-style refrigerated trucks--"farmers'-markets-on-wheels"--bring clients fresh fruit, vegetables, protein and dairy products that are especially important for good nutrition and often missing from the diets of low-income families. Feeding America has a goal of increasing the amount of produce in their network toone billion pounds over the next five years. With a focus on bringing more produce to more people, vehicles like the Kraft Foods Mobile Pantries help deliver on that goal.
Each truck stops at neighborhood food pantries, churches or school parking lots an average of 120 times a year. Families and individuals are invited to select food as they would at a farmers' market--producesuch asfresh lettuce, crunchy apples, crisp green beans and other meal-time staples such as Kraft macaroni and cheese and Oscar Mayer meats.
This year, the program is rolling out in Columbia, Mo.; Fredericksburg, Va.; Fort Pierce, Fla.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Lafayette, Ind.; Orlando, Fla.; Salt Lake City; San Diego; Spokane, Wash.; and Springfield, Ohio.
"Mobile pantries are critical to getting more fresh foods to people in low-income communities," said Vicki Escarra, president and CEO of Feeding America. "Many of our clients live in food deserts or neighborhoods where opportunities to purchase healthy, affordable groceries are scarce. Kraft Foods Foundation's generous gift will allow our food banks to provide fresh fruits and vegetables, meats and dairy products to more people in need."
Northfield, Ill.-based Kraft Foods Inc. had 2010 revenue of $49.2 billion; 11 of the company's iconic brands--including Cadbury, Jacobs, Kraft, LU, Maxwell House, Milka, Nabisco, Oreo, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia and Trident--generate revenue of more than $1 billion annually.For more on the battle against food deserts, see the June issue of CSP magazine.
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