A recap of the event, at which shoppers could buy reasonably priced fresh vegetables, dairy products, and pantry essentials with the help of a stipend.

On Tuesday, October 11, 2022, Live HealthSmart Alabama (LHSA) — a transformational movement to make good health simple for all Alabamians —hosted a Mobile Market stop at Greater Birmingham Ministries (GBM).

The event took place on a cool autumn afternoon and offered community members the opportunity to purchase affordable fresh produce, dairy, and pantry staples.

Produce stipends

Purchasing on-site at the market’s many stops throughout the year is always accessible—simply present cash, credit, debit, or EBT at checkout—but shoppers at this stop were also given the added choice of using a $20 produce stipend provided by GBM. Although this stipend is not at every stop, if you’re thinking of shopping the market in the future, remember that for every dollar you spend with your EBT card, you will earn a Double Buck that can be used on your next purchase of produce.

Greater Birmingham Ministries and Live HealthSmart Alabama team up for an awesome autumnal Mobile Market stop.

A word from GBM about the vital work of the Mobile Market

Organizing Director of GBM, Tari Williams, on why this Mobile Market stops and providing the stipend was vital, “It’s important because we want to make sure that people in the community have access to fresh fruit and vegetables. We are in a food desert where few affordable grocery shopping options allow our community to get fresh produce. So, for the Mobile Market to come to our parking lot and meet our clients where they are is excellent. Many people came for the Call-in for Christmas Assistance event a few days ago, and we invited them to come back later for this shopping opportunity with the stipend. As you can see, many of them did because it is so needed. We have a long line of people ready to get this fresh produce today.”

Also, in attendance at the event, Community Organizer at GBM, Amanda Cherry, echoed Williams’s sentiments and added, “We’re so happy that the Mobile Market is here, especially for our Latino clients. We offer food bags, but many Latino clients prefer fresh produce as they make things from scratch. This is perfect for them, so it has a much higher turnout than other food events that we provide.”

Please read this article for more information about the work LHSA does with Birmingham's Latino and Hispanic communities. Please visit our website for more details about LHSA and Mobile Market stops.