Wabash Valley Mobile
Market
Community Health Initiative:
Covering 6 counties
in the
Wabash Valley Community
Desiree Huebner
Indiana State University
Bachelor of Science in Nursing Student
Outline
 Purpose of a Mobile Market (MM)
 Objectives
 Why the Need for a MM
 How to Initiate a MM
 Location of the MM
 Who initiated the first MM
 Nashville Mobile Market
 IU Health Garden on the Go
 Wabash Valley Mobile Market
 Resources
Purpose of the
Wabash Valley Mobile Market
 There is a need and desire for a mobile
market in low income neighborhoods
and communities surrounding the Terre
Haute community, specifically targeted
toward; Clay County, Parke County
Sullivan County, Vermilion County, Vigo
County, and Clarke County of Illinois.
 Educate and incorporate other lifestyle changes like diet and
exercise, eating meals with family, and how to cook a healthy
meal in 30 minutes.
Objectives of the
Wabash Valley Mobile Market
1. The mobile market will develop into a mobile grocery
store that sells produce and other healthy food items in
places where those options are limited.
2. Make an impact on obesity and other diet related
conditions in the community by approaching it through a
healthy eating and exercise plan.
3. Provide people in low income neighborhoods or people
with limited access to fresh and healthy foods.
Why the Need of a
Local Mobile Market
 According to the 2012 report from the Trust for
American Health and the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation, Adult Hoosiers obesity level climbed to
30.8% from 29.1% last year, joining 11 other states
with percentages of more than 30. Last year Indiana
ranked 15th.
 A March 2013 study by The Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation found statistics for Vigo County:
 33% are Obese
 28% are Physically Inactive
 10.2% are Unemployed
 25% of children are living in poverty
 37% of children come from single parent households
 Vigo County has 12 recreation facilities
How do we Start the
Wabash Valley Mobile Market
 Target the communities with low income neighborhoods or
with limited access to fresh and affordable foods
 Incorporate the Mobile Markets in communities then tie in
exercise and eating dinner together
 Utilize key agencies and volunteers for community health
 Baeslser’s Market and other local grocery stores
 Catholic Charities of Terre Haute
 CHANCES for Indiana Youth
 City Government and School Corporation
 Clay County YMCA
 Indiana State University
 Purdue Extension in Parke County
 Union Hospital of Terre Haute
 Vigo County Health Department
Determining where to initiate the
Wabash Valley Mobile Market
 The Mobile Market will be initiated at area food deserts,
which means there is little or no access to a grocery
store that offers fresh and affordable foods needed to
maintain a healthy diet.
 In the Wabash Valley there are six counties that the
market will be initiated at: Clay, Parke, Sullivan,
Vermillion, Vigo counties of Indiana and Clarke County
of Illinois.
 Specific food desert examples: Seelyville, West Terre Haute
 Low income neighborhoods or neighborhoods that do not
have access to fresh and affordable food
 Community residents will enter the trailer and purchase
goods with credit card, cash, EBT, WIC, SNAP
Who has Initiated a Mobile Market
 The Nashville Mobile Market is maintained by
Vanderbilt University students and volunteers.
 The Nashville Mobile Market provides food desert
communities with fresh produce, lean meats, dairy, and
select non-perishable items. Community residents enter
onto the trailer and purchase goods with credit card,
cash or SNAP benefits. In addition, recipes cards are
available to highlight simple, nutritious options and
community kitchens are also held.
The National Mobile Market Mission
of Vanderbilt University
 We encourage the development of preventative strategies
for tackling the epidemics of obesity and diet-related
diseases.
 We actively seek partnerships with existing mobile
markets to facilitate knowledge sharing by developing
lists of accepted best practices and refined methods for
operations, community outreach, and evaluation
protocols.
 The National Mobile Market is committed to supporting
the development of innovative solutions to food insecurity
by providing fiscal, logistical, and structural support to
community organizations interested in creating urban
mobile markets to address the growth of urban food
insecurity.
Vanderbilt University on
Nashville Mobile Market
 According to the NashvilleMobileMarket.org:
 “Nashville Mobile Market (NMM) strives to encourage
healthier eating habits and decrease incidences of dietrelated chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and
hypertension. It does this by increasing access to and
decreasing cost of healthy foods in food deserts, while also
education the community about healthier options”
Garden on the Go Mobile Market
 Indiana University Health implemented - Garden on the
Go in May 2011
 IU Health System Outreach Priorities
 Obesity Prevention
 Injury Fall Prevention
 Access to Healthcare
 K-12 Education
 Community Revitalization
 USDA reports 68% of individuals in low-income
neighborhoods live in areas where affordable, fresh
fruits and vegetables are not readily available.
Wabash Valley Mobile Market
 The Department of Applied Health Science at Indiana
State University conducted surveys at community
centers and food pantries in Terre Haute and in West
Terre Haute.
 Background of the study
 Ethnicity of the participants
 African Americans- 24 (22%)
 Caucasian- 78 (72%)
 Other (American Indian, Hispanic, Bi-racial)- 7 (7%) ]
 101 participants surveyed
 27% of the participants were between the ages of 31-40
years old
How often do you buy fresh
fruit?
40%
35%
35%
32%
30%
24%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
5%
5%
Never
Other
0%
Every Week
Every 2 Weeks
About Once/Month
Peterson, Y., Borrero, L., Kruger, T., & Bermudez, E. 2013. Indiana
State University: Department of Applied Health Sciences. United
Way Mobile Market Survey.
How do you typically get to and
from the grocery store?
70%
64%
60%
50%
40%
30%
25%
20%
11%
10%
5%
3%
0%
My Car
Friends
Public
Walk
Bike
Peterson, Y., Borrero, L., Kruger, T., & Bermudez, E. 2013. Indiana
State University: Department of Applied Health Sciences. United
Way Mobile Market Survey.
How long does it usually take to get from
where you live, to the store where you get
most of your food?
70%
63%
60%
50%
40%
31%
30%
20%
10%
4%
1%
1%
1-2 hr
>2hrs
0%
<15 min
15-30 min
30 min- 1 hr
Peterson, Y., Borrero, L., Kruger, T., & Bermudez, E. 2013. Indiana
State University: Department of Applied Health Sciences. United
Way Mobile Market Survey.
Would you be interested in buying
low-cost fresh fruits and vegestables
if they were brought directly to your
neighborhood?
100%
93%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
6%
10%
1%
0%
Yes
No
No Answer
Peterson, Y., Borrero, L., Kruger, T., & Bermudez, E. 2013. Indiana
State University: Department of Applied Health Sciences. United
Way Mobile Market Survey.
Do you or your family members
receive help from government food
assistance programs?
60%
48%
50%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
2%
0%
Yes
No
No Answer
Peterson, Y., Borrero, L., Kruger, T., & Bermudez, E. 2013. Indiana
State University: Department of Applied Health Sciences. United
Way Mobile Market Survey.
Survey Findings
 The Department of Applied Health Sciences concluded
from their study that:
 93% of participants who completed the survey are interested
in a local mobile market
 Almost half (48%) are on food assistance programs
 Expense was cited as the #1 reason for not buying more
fresh produce
 Expense and lack of transportation are the most identified
barriers to shop at grocery stores more often
 91 (83%) were primary grocery buyers for their household
 52 (48%) received assistance to buy food (SNAP, WIC)
 67 (61%) female
Resources
 Peterson, Y., Borrero, L., Kruger, T., & Bermudez, E. 2013. Indiana
State University: Department of Applied Health Sciences. United
Way Mobile Market Survey.
 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Web. 5 April 2013. County
Health Ranking and Roadmaps: A Healthier Nation- County by
County. http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/
 The Nashville Mobile Market. Web. 5 April 2013.
http://www.nashvillemobilemarket.org/
 United Way of the Wabash Valley
 U.S. Department of Agriculture. Web. 5 April 2013. “Access to
Affordable and Nutritious Food.”
http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/242654/ap036_reportsummary_
1_.pdf
 Vigo County Health Department