Mobile farmer's market for food insecure Long Islanders

Northwell Health announced that they are sponsoring the FREE Fresh Truck Mobile Market, a farmer’s market on wheels run by the Old Bethpage-based nonprofit Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. (FREE). The truck, donated by Suffolk Transportation Services, Inc., filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, will make healthy, local, affordable produce available to Long Islanders, especially those who are experiencing food insecurity, each week at six locations in Nassau and Suffolk counties.

The FREE Fresh Truck Mobile Market is FREE’s way of making locally grown fresh produce more accessible in high need communities. In addition, it provides FREE with a means of making a positive impact on the obesity epidemic. The FREE Fresh Truck Mobile Market will have nutrition educators on hand to help answer questions and provide guidance as well as tip sheets, books, samples and giveaways.

“As an organization that cares for two million people every year, we see many who would benefit from adding more fresh produce to their diets and appreciate FREE’s partnership to accomplish this,” said Ram Raju, MD, chief community investment officer at Northwell Health. “Many ailments, from heart disease to diabetes, could either be prevented or minimized through a healthy diet that incorporates fresh fruits and vegetables.”

“The produce will primarily come from FREE’s FREEdom Farm in Brentwood,” said Robert S. Budd, MPS, chief executive officer of FREE. “Some additional items will come from farms at our affiliate Skills Unlimited, Inc. in Oakdale and FREE’s Saddle Rock Ranch in Middle Island. We appreciate Northwell Health’s partnership in this endeavor, which will go a long way to providing people with the fresh produce that is so beneficial for their diets and lives.”

The Fresh Truck Mobile Market will be available on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Dolan Family Health Center in Greenlawn and the Family Medicine Center at Glen Cove Hospital from 12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m. On Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., the truck will be at Adelante of Suffolk County in Central Islip and from 12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. at FREEdom Farm in Brentwood. On Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at HRHCare Health Center at Brentwood and from 12:30 p.m.-2:00 p.m. at Southside Hospital in Bay Shore.

The FREE Fresh Truck Mobile Market makes locally grown fresh produce more accessible in high need communities.

The following can be used to purchase items from the mobile farmer’s market: SNAP/EBT cards, FreshConnect Checks, New York State Farmers Market Nutrition Program WIC checks, Senior Checks, WIC Vegetables and Fruit Checks and cash. For more information, call (631) 948-5548.