Happy July, mobile market friends! We hope you all are having a nourishing and fruitful summer. The growth of this community has been rapid and with that comes the need for expanded resources, networks, and support. The USDA funding our team received will allow us to work with mobile market leaders across the U.S. to formalize the Mobile Market Coalition to better connect and support mobile market operators, while establishing standards of operation and promoting best practices. This funding will also support the expansion of the Veggie Van Training Center to provide resources and training. Our goal is to help markets become more effective and sustainable so they can have greater impact in their communities.
Some of the MMC and VVTC initiatives you can look forward to include:
Mobile Market Coalition Strategic Plan & Charter
Comprehensive Map & Database of Mobile Markets
Mobile Market Social and Economic Impact Report
2023 Mobile Market Summit Planning
Expanded Training & Technical Assistance
Veggie Van Toolkit Improvements
We're excited to support and share this work with our mobile market community!
-The Veggie Van team
Veggie Van Toolkit Feature: Vehicles & Equipment
As a part of our ongoing effort to expand the free resources of theVeggie Van Toolkit, we'll be releasing regular content updates. This month, we have published an update of the Vehicles and Equipment section, complete with sample pricing, case studies from experienced operators, and recommendations if you plan to acquire a new vehicle or retrofit one.
**Note: If visiting the toolkit for the first time, complete this brief survey to get the Veggie Van Toolkit password - this helps us track usage of this free content.
Also new to the Veggie Van Toolkit is a guide for mobile markets to apply to become a SNAP Authorized Retailer. Visit the Pricing Toolkit Page to download the SNAP Retailer Guide.
Social Media & Communications will be featured in the next Newsletter – Do you have an innovative, effective, or unique marketing/social media strategy or tips you want to share with the community? Reach out so we can showcase your work and help other markets! ContactUs@MyVeggieVan.org
July Vehicle Webinar:
July 29th at 1:00-2:00 EST
Are you considering searching for a new mobile market vehicle, or shopping for the first time? In concert with the Veggie Van Toolkit update, the Veggie Van Training Center is hosting a webinar with seasoned mobile market operators to discuss their vehicle and equipment experiences and recommendations.
Our panel will include Glen Providence from Hebni Nutrition Consultants, Ellen Olack from Fresh Approach, and Megan Marshall from Project Grows. Join us on Friday, July 29th at 1:00-2:00 EST as we take a dive deep into mobile market vehicle selection, retrofit, and equipment selection.
Planning for the 2023 Mobile Market Summit is just getting started. Are you interested in joining the planning team to help make programming and other decisions? If so, email Sam Lev at sdlev@buffalo.edu to learn more.
The Veggie Van Training Center (VVTC) supports local and regional food systems by helping to start, expand, and improve mobile produce market programs and provides training, reporting, and evaluation for organizations and professionals working to launch and/or expand a mobile market or other food access program. The center is run by the Community Health Intervention Lab (CHIL) within the Department of Community Health and Health Behavior at the University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions.
Veggie Van Training Center
Department of Community Health and Health Behavior
333 Kimball Tower, South Campus
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY 14214-8028
