
A bright pink bus might not be what typically comes to mind when you think of grocery shopping, but for The Just One Project, a nonprofit in Las Vegas, it's their innovative solution to tackling food insecurity. Nevada welcomes its very first mobile grocery store, "Groceries on the Go," a revamped Clark County School District bus equipped to vend a variety of affordable, nutritious foods to those living in food deserts, areas severely lacking in fresh food availability. As reported by News 3 Las Vegas, this mobile market currently serves 11 sites throughout Las Vegas and has an ambitious eye for expansion.
The bus, notable both for its unique purpose and its vibrant hue, seeks to provide communities in need, including veterans and seniors, with accessible groceries as they circumnavigate through low-income neighborhoods. Delia, married to a Vietnam veteran with diabetes, told KTNV about just how critical a role such a service plays in managing her husband's health with well-balanced meals. The endeavor rolled out its first location at the North Las Vegas VA Medical Center on Pecos Road, initiating a venture that transcends mere commercial transaction, by engaging in a systemic act of community nourishment and support.
While the goods offered on the Groceries on the Go bus come with price tags, they are highly subsidized, featuring items as affordable as $1 for a pound of produce. Moreover, the initiative plans to accept SNAP benefits, familiar to many as the contemporary evolution of food stamps, making healthier options more reachable than ever for those facing economic constraints. The Just One Project, in collaboration with partners like United Healthcare and the NV Energy Foundation — who contributed a generous $86,000 grant as KTNV covered, aims to not only provide physical sustenance but also bolster the dignity and independence of its patrons.
Reflecting a grassroots push for more equitably distributed food resources, local company Green Side Up Vertical Farming also sees potential in the project. Firmly rooted in urban agriculture, they eagerly anticipate supplying the pink bus with fresh, locally grown produce. According to News 3 Las Vegas, long-time residents like Darren Jackson from the Historic Westside see this as a welcome initiative, stating, "Oh, that's that's bomb, you know what I'm saying, because some people don't have that much money to pay for the price of high-priced food." This is a telling glimpse into the potential impact Groceries on the Go could have on neighborhoods long overlooked and under-serviced.