Meals on Wheels Chicago launches produce markets for seniors

CHICAGO (CBS)-- With inflation and high food prices, non-profits and community organizations are looking for ways to expand outreach and help more people. 

Over the summer, Meals on Wheels Chicago opened a pantry called "Nourish Chicago Pantry" to support seniors struggling with food insecurity, and now they're expanding that program to offer fresh produce through pop-up markets at senior centers throughout the city. 

"The pop-up markets are an expansion of our Nourish Chicago Food Pantry. They are set up to allow seniors from all around the city to come in and shop just like they would in a regular grocery store. The pantries offer 70% fresh produce, proteins, pantry, and other wellness essentials. It's really just an opportunity to put health on the pantry shelf for many of the seniors in our community," said Shannon Murphy, board president of Meals on Wheels Chicago.  

Murphy also said the pop-up markets provide an additional resource for Seniors who may be struggling to make ends meet. The pop-up events are expected to collectively provide enough food to create 215,750 healthy meals for over 7,650 seniors.   

"The recent end of the COVID era expanded SNAP benefits have really left seniors facing some difficult decisions. We find that they're often choosing between how they spend their limited resources on important items like food, but sometimes they need to put those funds aside to pay for their home costs or medicine," said Murphy.  

The first Nourish Chicago Pop Up Produce Market was held on March 23rd. Several more are scheduled from now through August.

The markets will take place from 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm at the following locations: 

-Central West Ogden Senior Center, 2102 W Ogden Avenue:  April 5, May 3, June 7, July 12, August 2 

-Northwest Copernicus Senior Center, 3160 N Milwaukee Avenue: April 17, May 15, June 20, July 17, August 21 

-Southeast Atlas Senior Center, 1767 E 79th Street: March 23, April 20, May 18, June 22, July 20, August 17 

-Southwest Senior Center, 6117 S Kedzie Avenue: April 7, May 5, June 2, July 7, August 4 

And from 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm at the following location: 

-Northeast Levy Senior Center, 2019 W Lawrence Avenue: March 28, April 25, May 23, June 27, July 25, August 22