The FoodShare Truck is an initiative, started in Toronto, USA, which aims to eradicate health issues in communities, by providing fresh produce at affordable prices. With the help of an architectural firm, an old bus was stripped of its former duty, refurbished and transformed into a mobile food market.
The project was initiated by the FoodShare non-profit organisation and as a result of collaboration between Toronto Public Health’s Food Strategy department, United Way Toronto and the University of Toronto.
According to FoodShare, their goal is to work with communities and schools to deliver healthy food and food education: "We believe everyone deserves access to affordable high-quality fresh food.”
The goal of the truck is to bring fresh produce to the locals so as to improve their general nutrition, as well as to deal with issues of obesity, malnutrition and other chronic problems. As a result, the truck supplies a diverse range of fruit and vegetables that customers will genuinely enjoy.
FoodShare Truck’s affordable prices are a consequence of the reality that many people are unable to afford fresh produce. The truck accommodates low-income families, and those that live in food deserts; areas that don’t have access to fresh food because they are either too far out or too expensive.
The truck creates a space that locals can easily access, where they can buy fresh food close to home and interact with others that are potentially facing the same challenges in life. The truck primarily aims its wares at senior citizens, families run by single parents and low-income communities. According to the website, “The FoodShare Truck is removing isolation and opening doors to better health.”
Although the truck brings in revenue, the aim of the project is not to rake in cash. Instead, it hopes to be a sustainable source of quality fresh food for locals who would otherwise not have any. With the help of volunteers from the Community Good Leaders group, costs are reduced. The FoodShare website boasts, “Our truck is a different kind of food truck, one that dishes up pounds of okra and bunches of broccoli at cheaper than normal prices.”
