Farmers Market Friday- Veggie Van travels to Lackawanna and Niagara Falls

Every Friday EWB highlights a local farmers market on our blog and provides details about that market. This information is helpful if you have access to transportation to get to these markets. The Veggie Van is a Farmers Market on wheels that travels to Lackawanna and Niagara Falls so everyone regardless of access to transportation can purchase fresh, healthy, affordable and locally grown produce. Both these areas are considered food deserts- areas where residents have limited access to what farmers markets traditionally offer.

Once a week the Veggie Van travels to Lackawanna and Niagara Falls to sell fresh produce at market prices accepting both cash and EBT payments. The Veggie Van helps combat hunger and reduce food insecurity by traveling to these designated areas where community members do not have a grocery store nearby.

The six-week pilot program has been a great success, with over $3,000 worth of fresh produce sold over seven weeks and servicing approximately 80 residents per week. Next year,the sponsor, Cornell Cooperative Extension-Niagara is hoping to expand the program by bringing the Veggie Van to more sites in the community, and to expand its program to operate for the entire summer of 2017.

Here is the 2017 Veggie Van Schedule:

Lackawanna-Every Wednesday from June 21st-Sept 13th (excluding August 2nd)
10am-12pm: Lackawanna Senior Center, 230 Martin Rd.
1pm-3pm: Old Friendship House Site, Ridge Rd. (west of bridge)

Niagara Falls-Every Thursday from June 22nd-September 14th (excluding August 3rd)
10am-12pm: John Duke Senior Center, 1202 Hyde Park Blvd
1pm-3pm: Niagara Falls Medical Center at Golisano Center, 533 10th St.