Virtua Health Foundation is being awarded a $30,000 grant from NBC10, Telemundo62, and the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation as a part of the Project Innovation Grant Challenge. This grant will go towards supporting their Eat Well Mobile Grocery Store.
The Eat Well Mobile Grocery Store offers fresh, nutritious food at below-market prices to communities in areas known as “food deserts”- an urban area in which it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food. This grocery store on-wheels began in February 2021. They operate in Burlington County, Camden County, and Gloucester County. In order to get this food to the communities who need it most, NJ transit donated a 40-foot bus that was then converted into a one-aisle grocery store on wheels, fully stocked with shelves, coolers, and freezers. The bus is wheel-chair accessible and ran by a friendly, welcoming staff. Customers also have the opportunity to speak with a dietitian for information about a healthy diet, as well as recipes they can prepare with the food they buy.
Click here for the Eat Well Mobile Grocery Store schedule.
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The Virtua team recognizes that food is medicine-- a person can't reach their full potential if they don't know where their next meal is coming from. Knowing how fundamental proper nutrition is, the Eat Well Mobile Grocery Store is accessible year-round. Members of these communities can always rely on this program for healthy foods and a dignified shopping experience.
Coming up in the Fall, Virtua Health will be doing their Annual Turkey and Produce Giveaway for Thanksgiving. Over 1000 turkeys and bags of produces are given out over the course of two days, as well as healthy recipes to go along. The program was started in 2016 and this year the giveaway will be expanded to their Eat Well Mobile customers.
Virtua Health Foundation is the nonprofit arm of Virtua Health, a nonprofit health system and one of the region's largest employers. They deliver care at five hospitals and 300 medical practices and facilities. With the support from community organizations, grant funders, and corporate partners, Virtua Health is able to put a major focus on their community health programs. In 2021, they brought in more than $10 million dollars to help support programs like the Eat Well Mobile Grocery Store, as well as their Eat Well Food Pharmacies, Mobile Pediatric Program, and more.
Community
Click here to donate to the Virtua Health Foundation.
