Stephanie Toole, 68, said she can’t get to the grocery store on her own because of her health and usually has to have a family member shop for her.
She said the Hunger Task Force Mobile Market helps her shop on her own again.
“This is as close to a grocery store as I am able to get,” she said. “And it helps with the rising prices in stores.”
Operating as a grocery store on wheels, the Mobile Market provides healthy and affordable food options to families in areas where those types of food can be scarce, including neighborhoods impacted by the closing of grocery stores.
“This program is a strategic response to the ongoing issue of food deserts and areas in our community that lack access to fresh and healthy food,” said Jonathan Hansen, chief strategy officer with Hunger Task Force.
How it works
Created in 2015, the Mobile Market is operated by Hunger Task Force employees and volunteers and stocked and staffed by Piggly Wiggly.
The Mobile Market offers 25% off all items beyond Piggly Wiggly’s prices.
In the market, you’ll find fruits, vegetables, milk (dairy and nondairy options), chicken, beef, pork, deli meat, cheese, yogurt and more. The market does not sell canned items or processed foods.
“We look at it from a healthy choice aspect,” said Al Savaglio, regional franchise operations for Piggly Wiggly. “Then we look at key drivers of product selection to determine what goes in the market.”
The Mobile Market serves over 12,000 shoppers annually, Hansen said, adding the market makes over 30 stops a month.
“We try to match the stops up to places where seniors would pick up their stock boxes so that they can grab everything at once.”
Who it serves
Savaglio said community involvement is important to Piggly Wiggly’s mission and the mobile market is one aspect of building relationships in the community.
Toole, like many others, is a regular visitor to the Mobile Market and said it makes shopping much easier.
“It’s not as hard on me because it’s such a short walk,” she said. “I like being able to pick my own stuff.”
Mobile Market stops include senior centers, apartments and community centers, but it is also open to the public.
The market accepts credit, debit and EBT.
The goal of the Hunger Task Force is to ensure everyone in Milwaukee County has access to affordable, healthy food, Hansen said.
For more infomation
To find out where the Mobile Market will be next, you can look at the Hunger Task Force website.
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