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LEAP’s Mobile Market travels across the city of Roanoke and beyond. From May through November, the mobile market stops at senior centers, Roanoke Housing Authority properties, and underserved neighborhoods on a weekly schedule. From December through April, it runs a smaller route; there's simply less demand in the darker, colder months.
The LEAP Mobile Market doubles the value of purchases made by recipients of SNAP, Medicaid, and WIC. For every dollar spent (EBT, cash, or credit), LEAP matches with an additional dollar to spend on produce. Customers show the market manager their card, and LEAP applies the discount at checkout. Customers should make sure their orders are at least half fruits and vegetables to get a full 50 percent off. Medicaid and WIC recipients must pay with cash, check, credit, or debit as LEAP is not able to swipe those cards.
The LEAP Mobile Market also accepts Healthy Benefits debit cards issued by insurance companies.
LEAP’s Mobile Market hit the road in 2015 in a not-always-reliable church van that was soon retired. Mobile market, version 2 is still rolling, a retro-fitted Penske truck. Whether you’re seeing it drive down a busy street or get ready for customers at a stop -- complete with rain awnings, price lists in three languages, and produce drawers that pull out for easy use -- it’s hard to miss the LEAP Mobile Market.
The mobile market is also the place where LEAP’s mission and vision most visibly come together. The mobile market supports local farmers and food businesses by providing a year-round outlet for their goods. It increases nutrition security by bringing fresh food to people who often cannot get it. By connecting local food to people who struggle to access it, and fundraising to make it affordable, LEAP increases demand for local food and improves our community’s health.
LEAP’s Mobile Market can be scheduled for events on a limited basis. For LEAP to bring the mobile market to your festival, school, or workplace, we must cover the costs of gas, staffing, and food. Our way of doing that is to ask organizers to purchase a set number of Market or Harvest Bucks, depending on the length of stay for the mobile market. Read more about our Market Bucks program here. LEAP fundraises to cover the cost of a limited number of events in underserved communities.
To allow the mobile market to reach as many people as possible in a time of great need, LEAP fundraises by applying for grants, asking for individual donations and reaching out to businesses for sponsorships. Let us know if we can answer any questions about how you, your business, or your organization can support LEAP’s Mobile Market.
Find information about how to become a vendor
in the Food Hub section under Cultivate Food.
Questions?
Email: markets@leapforlocalfood.org