By Deborah Reed
WKTV Contributor
greer@wktv.org
Older adults with limited incomes and mobility often do not have a way to get to stores and purchase healthy food options. The YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids’ Veggie Van, a mobile farmers market, has partnered with Care Resources PACE to provide access to healthy food for vulnerable populations.
The Veggie Van visits Care Resources’ Grand Rapids location twice a month year-round. Kelli Greer, Provider Relations Liaison at Care Resources, coordinates the visits and says the Veggie Van was an immediate hit among the nonprofit’s participants.
“The decision to bring the Veggie Van to Care Resources was as much about increasing access to healthy food as it was promoting independence and a sense of agency over their lives,” Greer says. “A lot of our participants don’t have the option to go grocery shopping and rely on loved ones or caregivers to shop for them.
“This is one way to give participants the ability to make their own choices. When the Veggie Van arrives, their faces light up at the simple joy of being able to peruse and pick for themselves.”
The goal of Care Resources, Greer went on to say, is to safely keep seniors in their home environment and community for as long as possible. A measure of independence is essential to that mission.
“Promoting independence through doing your own grocery shopping is just one way that we can promote independence to help the seniors stay active, make choices that benefit them, to stay in their homes as long as possible,” Greer says.
The Veggie Van began in 2011 as part of the YMCA’s ongoing efforts to fill a critical need as food insecurity continues to rise. The mobile farmers market currently services 24 locations.
“Partnerships like this allow us to bring fresh, healthy food directly to the people who need it most,” says Nancy Maiquez, Executive Director of Community Engagement at the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids. “When we remove the barriers that prevent people from accessing nutritious food, we’re helping to improve the health and wellness of our entire community.”
Not only does the Veggie Van deliver locally sourced produce to over 100 older adults at the Care Resources day center, it also provides friendly conversation and education about food assistance programs.
Senior Project Fresh provides free nutrition education to participants as a way to help older adults eat healthier as they age. The Double Up Food Bucks program allows SNAP shoppers to double their SNAP benefits. WIC Produce Connection/WIC-CVB provides low-income, nutritionally-at-risk WIC clients with eligible, locally grown and fresh fruits and vegetables from Authorized Growers at farmers markets and roadside stands throughout Michigan.
Belisa Melton, YMCA Community Collaborations Director, says she is delighted to see so many seniors receiving the help they need to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
“This is our passion,” Melton says. “This is what we do. We come to help, to bridge those gaps in the community.”
Those interested in helping the YMCA Veggie Van mission can volunteer at any of the Veggie Van locations.
“It doesn’t take a lot,” Melton says. “It just takes some passion. If you are passionate about seniors, about just the community overall, we encourage individuals to come.”
For more volunteer information, email Belisa Melton at bmelton@grymca.org.
