photo: Alyssa Castro
by Jesus Perez
Ed Note: Though the Central Valley is known worldwide as an agricultural mecca, many communities here do not have easy access to the fresh fruits and vegetables that surround them in abundance. In fact, some would call areas of Merced “food deserts” for the lack of access to fresh and affordable produce. This invariably takes a toll on resident’s health, and their wallets.
Jesus, 18, examines a bright spot amongst the blight: Produce On The Go, a food truck that has begun to bring fruits and vegetables to neglected communities.
My old neighborhood of Beachwood is about three miles from the closest supermarket. There are only two corner stores that sell produce, and they are usually overpriced, have a small selection, and sometimes that produced isn’t refrigerated. Some people are forced to buy this food because they do not have transportation to go shop elsewhere.
But as of November 2013, my neighborhood and others like it have a new option: the Produce On The Go truck.
The truck sells produce and other groceries, purchasable by cash, credit, and even
EBT cards, at schools and health centers across Merced County. Produce On The Go targets socioeconomically distressed areas of Merced County: Winton, South Merced, Planada, Le Grand, Dos Palos, Snelling, Santa Nella, and, most recently, Atwater, and stays at each location for three hours on average.
To read more, go HERE.
