The Fresh Stop Mobile Market

The Fresh Stop Mobile Market Bus is a repurposed transit bus outfitted with special refrigerated racks for fresh vegetables and fruits. The Fresh Stop, a grocery store on wheels, visits food desert neighborhoods in Central Florida and provides increased access to fresh produce at reduced prices.

What We Do

  • Farmer's Market

    A pop-up farmer’s market is held the 1st Friday of every month at the Hebni Nutrition Consultant's office. For the most up-to-date news on our pop-up market, visit our social media channels.

  • Veggie RX

    Veggie Rx is a produce prescription program where health providers will refer patients as a medical treatment, or preventative service, due to diet-related health risks or conditions, food insecurity, or other documented challenges to provide access to nutritious foods. 

  • EatWell Initiative

    Twice per month, participants enrolled in the EatWell program receive produce free of charge. To participate, individuals must receive SNAP/EBT benefits and live in qualifying communities for EatWell services. 

THE FRESH STOP STORY

In 2010, Hebni Nutrition began conducting community nutrition assessments which included surveying smaller "mom & pop" grocery stores.  That work led to a greater understanding of the problems surrounding food access and food insecurity in our community.  In Central Florida, more than 90,000 of our neighbors live in food deserts  - a geographical location where there is no full-service grocery store and limited access to fresh, nutritional foods. Limited food choices often result in poor nutrition as families rely on fast food or processed foods sold by neighborhood convenience stores. In these neighborhoods, families are forced to substitute foods usually high in fat, sugar, and salt, which in turn leads to increased rates of diabetes, higher blood pressure, and other diet-related diseases.

At the conclusion of a project where Hebni worked with a corner store in the Parramore neighborhood of Orlando to introduce a fresh produce section to the store, the Fresh Stop bus concept was developed.  As envisioned by the team, Fresh Stop is a mobile farmer's market created to serve these in-need neighborhoods. The bus offers fresh fruits and vegetables in community-centered locations and at budget-friendly prices.

By providing expanded food options to targeted communities, Fresh Stop helps to drive positive health outcomes and create a road map for change for families hardest hit by diabetes and heart disease.

EatWell Initiative

EatWell is a grant-funded program by the Florida Blue Foundation. The program was developed with the end goal of increasing fresh produce in communities that experience high food insecurity. Twice per month, participants enrolled in the EatWell program receive produce free of charge. To participate, individuals must receive SNAP/EBT benefits and live in qualifying communities (West Lakes, Holden Heights & Tangelo Park) for EatWell services. To learn more about EatWell please email info@hebninutrition.org.

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What is a Food Desert?

A food desert is a geographic area where residents’ access to affordable, healthy food options – including fresh fruits and vegetables – is restricted due to the absence of grocery stores within convenient traveling distance. See the USDA Food Desert locator here (now called The Food Access Research Atlas).

According to the U. S. Department of Agriculture, more than 2.3 million people (2.2% of all US households) live more than one mile away from a supermarket and do not own a car.*

In urban areas, economic factors have driven grocery stores out of many cities. An individual’s food shopping trip may require taking several buses, trains, or even a cab.

In Central Florida, more than 90,000 individuals live in food deserts, areas without easy access to fresh, nutritional foods. Limited food choices result in poor nutrition as families rely on fast food or processed foods sold by neighborhood convenience stores. Families are forced to substitute foods usually high in fat, sugar, and salt, which in turn leads to increased rates of diabetes, higher blood pressure, and other diet-related diseases.

The Fresh Stop bus is a mobile farmers market created to serve these in-need neighborhoods. The program offers fresh fruits and vegetables in community-centered locations and at budget-friendly prices. By providing expanded food options to targeted communities, Fresh Stop will drive positive health outcomes and create a road map for generational change for families hardest hit by diabetes and heart disease.

* “Food Deserts.” The Food Empowerment Project 2014.

Veggie RX

In 2019, Fresh Stop launched its Veggie Rx produce prescription program where health providers will refer patients as a medical treatment, or preventative service, due to diet-related health risks or conditions, food insecurity, or other documented challenges to provide access to nutritious foods. For more info about produce prescription programs, visit: www.nationalproduceprescription.org

If you are a health provider or health organization interested in learning more and want to offer the Veggie Rx services, please fill out the form below.

SNAP/EBT Application

SNAP (formerly known as food stamps) is the largest hunger relief program in the US, providing financial assistance to millions of Americans from coast to coast. Complete the mRelief screener below to determine your eligibility for the SNAP program.

See where the mobile market will be!

Not on the list? Submit a request to have the Fresh Stop Bus visit your area!