LITTLE ROCK – The City of Little Rock, the University District Development Corp., UA Little Rock and community partners celebrated today the launch of Little Rock’s new Mobile Market, a grocery store on wheels that will provide essential access to fresh, nutritious and affordable food in areas that need it most.
The Mobile Market is a 44-foot trailer full of grocery staples and produce that will make stops in different parts of the City considered food deserts, those communities with limited access to supermarkets and fresh food.
“Little Rock’s Mobile Market is a true catalyst in our efforts to eliminate food deserts and end food insecurity in Arkansas’s capital city,” Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. said. “This innovative solution is the result of strong community partnerships and support from key leaders like my Food Desert Task Force, City Director Kathy Webb, and the Little Rock Food Commission. Together, through our Mobile Market, we are literally meeting residents where they live and making access to fresh, nutritious food a reality.”
The Little Rock Board of Directors allocated $850,000 to fund the Mobile Market. The City selected the University District Development Corp. as the entity to launch and operate the market.
“It is the University District Development Corporation’s mission to support Little Rock’s neighborhoods and improve quality of life, and there is no better example of our mission than to address a fundamental need like food,” said Barrett Allen, UDDC’s executive director. “This is a great day for our organization and the entire City as we roll out our Mobile Market for residents who may not otherwise be able to get to a grocery store. We are proud to partner with the City and so many other organizations and individuals working to make this market possible.”
Key partners for the Mobile Market launch include GES, Inc., which owns and operates Edwards Food Giant and Edwards Cash Saver stores, the American Beverage Association, Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church, the Arkansas Minority Health Commission, the Arkansas Community Foundation, the Little Rock School District and countless other stakeholders.
“At UA Little Rock, we believe being part of a community also means being a good neighbor. Little Rock neighborhoods are important to us, and we want to be a partner in helping them thrive,” said UA Little Rock Chancellor Christina S. Drale. “Initiatives like the Mobile Market reflect that commitment by supporting the health and well-being of families and the communities they call home.” Mayor Scott and students from Stephens Elementary School, a Little Rock community school, made the first purchase at the Mobile Market during today’s launch event at Stephens Community Center.
The Mobile Market’s next stop is at Buffington Towers, 224 E. 7th St., on Tuesday, March 24, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. It will be at Madison Heights, 1401 Madison St., on Thursday, March 26, from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
“This investment addresses a critical need for our residents, and it is a step in the right direction,” Mayor Scott said. “We are united in our work to continue to identify ways to transform food deserts into communities with access and options for healthy, affordable food.”