VicHealth and The Community Grocer are joining forces to give people greater access to high-quality, affordable fruit and vegetables in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Community Grocer will receive a $150,000 VicHealth Partnership Grant to address increased demand and ensure more locals can benefit from the initiative.
VicHealth CEO Dr. Sandro Demaio said access to low-cost fruit and vegetables is more important than ever right now.
“This is all about getting more fresh, Victorian produce into the hands of more Victorians. We’re excited to be supporting The Community Grocer to expand its fantastic work in providing local communities, in particular people on low-incomes, with convenient access to fresh, affordable produce,” Dr. Demaio said.
“Eating a healthy diet can help us avoid long-term health problems, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers, but it can also support our immune system.
“We know the cost of food is rising and the coronavirus pandemic has affected people in various ways, putting fresh fruit and vegetables out of reach for many Victorian households.
“This partnership will ensure more communities, particularly those with low-income households, can put fresh, local fruit and veggies on the table now, and for months and years to come. The markets also give people connection and purpose while following physical distancing measures, which is so important while many in our community are feeling isolated, anxious and lonely as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.”
The Community Grocer Founder Russell Shields said with many Melburnians struggling to afford and source healthy food at the moment, the organisation is experiencing greater demand.
“We’ve spoken with customers who have lost jobs and have serious concerns about being able to afford bills or feed themselves and their families. We are seeing many new customers at our markets because coronavirus has put more households at risk of food insecurity,” Mr Shields said.
“With supermarket prices high and often lacking culturally appropriate produce, many of our customers are solely relying on our markets for fresh fruits and vegetables. They’re buying more from us than ever before, because it’s high quality and much more affordable"
Over the next 14 months, The Community Grocer will use the $150,000 VicHealth grant to reach new communities, including through new markets, innovative delivery schemes and establishing a centralised Community Distribution Centre in partnership with other organisations.