Food bank unveils 1st-of-its-kind mobile market in Anaheim to help low-income seniors

ANAHEIM, Calif. (KABC) -- The nation's first mobile market made its debut in Anaheim on Wednesday and it's called the Park-It Market.

Fresh vegetables, fruit, dry goods and a cooler stocked with items are part of the refrigerated truck.

"We know there's a need in our community. So this is a quick, easy way to distribute the food that's safe and that meets seniors where they are," said Nicole Suydam, with Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County.

Second Harvest Food Bank and its partners cut the ribbon on a brand new way to deliver fresh food to seniors in need. They had a trailer custom built and said this free, full-service mobile market is the first-of-its-kind.

They're focusing on seniors with fixed incomes - a community where hunger is on the rise.

"There's about 22 percent of the senior population in Orange County considered food insecure. So a program like this is really important because we're going to go to the senior low-income apartment communities," Suydam said.

The Park-It Market debuted at the Village Center Apartments. Seniors grabbed whatever they needed, which saved them a trip to the store.

"The experience that they are giving this to us, just in front of us, it's a really great opportunity," resident Frances Fabella said.

The trailer carries about 6,000 pounds of food. It's estimated more than 1 million meals will be handed out through it every year.

"Not only giving us the food, they provide the food on our tables and make us smile," Fabella said.

The Park-It Market will make 20 stops during the week all over Orange County.