Delivering Hope to Maryland Communities
MFB Mobile Markets break down barriers while improving food access, reducing stigma, and preserving dignity.
What is the Mobile Market Program?
In some parts of Maryland, food assistance is not as widely available or easy to access for individuals and families in need. With Mobile Markets, we transport food to hungry neighbors in underserved communities that can be as many as 30 miles from the nearest grocery store.
These 26-foot vehicles travel to targeted locations where food-insecure residents can “shop” for a variety of food, including fresh produce, dry goods, and frozen/perishable items.
Once the Market stops at its designated site, individuals can walk through the aisle of the refrigerated truck, and select the food they’d like to bag up and take home.
But visitors can receive more than food from the Mobile Market. We seek to partner with local agencies that can offer nutrition education and other specialized support services that help neighbors move forward. From SNAP enrollment to health screenings, these wraparound services are available through community partners and MFB programming at no cost to neighbors who visit a Mobile Market.
Mobile Markets Statistics in FY23
242
stops made
513,000+
meals distributed
10,000
neighbors served
Mobile Markets allow us to address geographical challenges, reach more neighbors, and focus on solving root causes of hunger.
Jennifer Small
MFB’s Vice President, Partner Logistics and Programs
Where do Mobile Markets travel?
Leveraging MFB’s Maryland Hunger Map and extensive data, the food bank’s Regional Program Directors actively pinpoint and direct Mobile Markets toward unserved and underserved areas. These vehicles provide the agility that’s required to meet the need for food assistance as it emerges and persists in communities outside the MFB network, while removing transportation and limited mobility barriers.
Mobile Markets help Marylanders by:
- Making it easier to access healthy foods, including assorted meats, breads, and fresh produce
- Providing the knowledge of how to prepare these foods
- Addressing root causes of hunger by partnering with local health, education, and social service agencies to provide additional support to visitors
Learn more about Mobile Markets
In March 2023, the MFB Strategy Group took a look at the Mobile Market Program to assess the initiative’s effectiveness and its impact on neighbors in priority areas. Check out the research group’s Executive Summary (PDF) to learn more about the program evaluation, including costs, benefits, and community and neighbor impacts. For more information contact the Mobile Market team at mobilemarket@mdfoodbank.org.
