Las Vegas, NV (KXNT) - One dollar for a pound of fresh fruit or a bundle of veggies? That’s about how much people will pay at the Veggie Buck Truck at the pop-up produce market at the Bonneville Transit Center.
This pilot program is being offered by the Southern Nevada Health District’s Office of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion in partnership with the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, Three Square Food Bank and Vegas Root’s Veggie Buck Truck to increase access to low-cost fresh fruits and vegetables.
The program is designed to increase access in an area that is adjacent to a neighborhood considered a “food desert” as well as the 8,000 customers who use the BTC daily.
The Veggie Buck Truck will be at the pop-up produce market at the BTC on Wednesday, September 15, 22, and 29 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The BTC is located at 101 E. Bonneville Ave.
The markets are open to everyone. Customers can use their SNAP benefits at the pop-up markets. People who use SNAP will be eligible for “Double Up Food Bucks” and earn a coupon they can apply to future produce purchases at participating locations. Customers can use cash, debit, or credit cards.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture describes a food desert as a location where a large proportion of households do not have access to grocery stores that provide affordable and healthy foods including fresh produce. According to the USDA’s criteria, more than 120,000 Southern Nevadans live in food deserts, areas without convenient access to a grocery store.