FareStart:Mobile Community Market Food Access VISTA

FareStart’s Food Security Team operates the Mobile Community Market to increase food access across Seattle and South King County through a targeted universalism approach: by focusing on serving those traditionally excluded from meeting their needs, we can serve everyone. This is accomplished through distributing $25 vouchers to communities with low food security through our partners, as well as accepting SNAP/EBT and offering the SNAP Market Match program for 50% off of a purchase up to $25. While most food access programs are limited to only those experiencing food insecurity, we recognize access to fresh food should be convenient for all! Those in the communities we serve without food access hardship can pay full price to shop the market – contributing to the viability of the program and supporting our mission of nourishing our community. Our produce is primarily sourced from local King County and Washington State farmers and aggregation networks, with minimal culturally relevant product coming from out of state. FareStart job training students support market prep activities and learn about the local food system in their first phase of training. In this position, FareStart partners with Harvest Against Hunger, which utilizes AmeriCorps members in the Harvest VISTA program who build sustainable community food security programs. These include gleaning projects to regional food security assessments, and expanding community-run gardens and food bank farms. AmeriCorps members serve for a year: recruiting and coordinating volunteers, addressing food supply challenges, creating systems to collect data, and growing organizations through storytelling. They gain professional development and team building in a nationwide cohort. Harvest Against Hunger and the Harvest VISTA Program aim to engage the community in tackling food insecurity.