Mobile Market

Advancing Equitable Access to Fresh Food and Strengthening Local Agriculture

The Mobile Market of Nuestras Raíces is an initiative designed to strengthen food security, promote local agriculture, and ensure equitable access to fresh and nutritious food within the community. This program emerges as a strategic response to the growing challenge of food deserts—areas where residents face limited access to grocery stores and affordable, healthy food options. Through this effort, Nuestras Raíces reaffirms its commitment to community well-being and the economic advancement of local farmers.

Context and Rationale

Limited access to fresh, high-quality food directly affects public health and overall quality of life. In many underserved neighborhoods, especially in urban, low-income areas, distance, lack of transportation, and the absence of nearby supermarkets create barriers to purchasing fresh produce. These conditions contribute to higher rates of diet-related illnesses and deepen systemic health inequities.

In this context, the Mobile Market stands as a strategic and community-focused intervention that helps close the nutritional gap by bringing healthy options directly to the neighborhoods that need them most.

Program Description

The Mobile Market operates similarly to a traditional farmers’ market: it offers locally grown, fresh produce at fair prices and in a transparent purchasing environment. The service is open to all residents, with no membership or enrollment requirements, and operates in key locations throughout the city to maximize community reach.

CONTACT THE MOBILE MARKET

413 356 1145

mmarket@nuestras-raices.org

SEND MESSAGE

The program accepts multiple payment methods — including cash, debit/credit cards, WIC coupons, Senior FMNP coupons, and EBT — and integrates the HIP (Healthy Incentives Program) benefit, which adds additional funds to EBT cards specifically for the purchase of fruits and vegetables at: Farmers markets (where some or all vendors may participate in the HIP program), Farm stands, Mobile markets, and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share programs. This system helps provide financial support to families while also promoting healthier food choices.

Strategic Objectives

The Mobile Market aligns with the institutional goals of Nuestras Raíces, including:

Ensuring equitable access to fresh and healthy food.
Strengthening the local agricultural economy through direct support of regional farmers.
Encouraging healthy eating habits and preventing diet-related diseases.
Promoting food justice by reducing economic and geographic barriers to nutrition.

Community Impact

Through its ongoing operation, the Mobile Market aims to:

Increase fresh produce consumption among families living in food deserts.
Build direct and lasting connections between local farmers and consumers, fostering a circular local economy.
Improve community health outcomes over the long term.
Serve as a sustainable and replicable model for equitable food access.

Mobile Market Schedule

Stops will be announced early summer of 2026

Partnerships and Program Sustainability

The program is made possible through collaboration with farmers, community organizations, public agencies, and strategic partners who share a commitment to local economic development and food security. This network ensures consistent produce supply, efficient route planning, and long-term operational sustainability.

Conclusion

The Nuestras Raíces Mobile Market represents an innovative and essential approach to ensuring that all families—regardless of income level or geographic location—can access fresh, nutritious, and culturally relevant food. Through this program, Nuestras Raíces reaffirms its mission to empower the community, uplift local agriculture, and promote public health through equity-driven solutions.

Testimonials

My experience has always been very good. I love coming here and finding fresh, healthy products. It saves me from having to go out to the supermarket. Thank you to Nuestras Raíces for coming to the Prospect Heights Senior Center.

Maria Rodriguez
Resident of Prospect Heights Senior Center

My experience at the Mobile Market has been good and positive. The products are cheaper, and I don’t have to go out to the supermarket to buy fruits and vegetables.

Lissett
Resident of Elmwood Towers

I come here every week, and I enjoy finding fresh products. It's one of my favorites things to do. Thank you Nuestras Raíces for bringing the market to us.

Kim
Conklin Furniture

The Mobile Market has benefited me in a positive way. Whenever they are here in the building, I come to buy products, and that helps me include more fruits and vegetables in my diet.

Justo Meléndez
Resident of Prospect Heights Senior Center

My experience has been very good. I enjoy talking with the people who come to buy vegetables. It’s also a way to support local agriculture. Thank you to Nuestras Raíces for the initiative of bringing the market to a place where there are many older adults who can’t go out.

Anonymous
Elmwood Tower

The Mobile Market program has benefited me a lot — first, financially, because I can use HIP without affecting the balance of my SNAP benefits, and I’m able to buy all kinds of fruits and vegetables. As a PCA (Personal Care Assistant), I can say that this program has greatly helped the people I support, since I’m the one who prepares their meals and can introduce fruits and vegetables into their diets, which is sometimes very difficult. For older adults, this program is especially beneficial because they don’t have to go far from their homes to buy fresh products. Many don’t have transportation, and traveling long distances can be very hard for them.

Ashley
PCA (Personal Care Assistant)

I love the Mobile Market. I enjoy getting fresh fruits.

Melissa
Conklin Furniture

My experience visiting Nuestras Raíces Mobile Market has been really good. I like buying green beans. We hope to see you next year!

Enid
Elmwood Tower.

The Mobile Market has helped me in many ways. I don’t have to go out to the supermarket because I take care of my mother, who is ill with Alzheimer’s. The products are always fresh and good quality. I like buying oranges. It has been a good experience. I hope the Mobile Market continues next year.

Anonymous
Resident of Prospect Heights Senior Center

My experience at the Mobile Market has been wonderful. Our employees love coming to the Mobile Market. We'd love to see you here next year.

Tony
Conklin Furniture

Why Does Holyoke Need a Mobile Market?

The Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts is home to a vibrant local food movement. However, many residents in Holyoke lack access to healthy, locally-grown food. About 25% of the City’s population is considered low-income with limited access to healthy food, according to the USDA. At the same time, local farms are not reaching customers in Holyoke.

The Mobile Market will bridge the gap between the farm and consumer, lowering barriers to access by bringing healthy food to people’s doorsteps. The Mobile Market will also provide a significant marketing outlet for regional farmers, as well as Holyoke-based Latino farmers growing Caribbean specialty crops that are difficult to find elsewhere in New England.

As of recent data (mostly 2020/2021 Census and ACS estimates), there are approximately 123,000 Latinos in Western Massachusetts (Hampden County) and around 112,645 Puerto Ricans alone in Hartford County (a major part of North Central Connecticut), with a larger total Hispanic population in the region.

Certain crops desired by the Latino community are not frequently grown by area farms, and regional distributors selling local foods do not have connections with Latino markets, or to farmers who could provide them with culturally appropriate crops.

Nuestras Raíces has been working with the University of Massachusetts Extension Service and our own farmers to develop hardy varieties, seed sources and growing practices to be able to grow Puerto Rican specialty squash, beans, and peppers in New England, generating a powerful opportunity to address market demand. This project will act as a cultural and market bridge, facilitating connections between regional farmers and marketing outlets in Holyoke, and between Holyoke-based farmers and distributors.