1. The Hosanna Mobile Market:
Improving the Health of
Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania
Submitted to: Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
Date:December 2, 2014
Aseltine Fitzgerald Ferrere Trapanick Trask
Hosanna House
807 Wallace Avenue
Wilkinsburg, PA 15221
PHONE (412) 243-7711
FAX (412) 243-7733
2. COVER LETTER
December 3, 2014
Aseltine Fitzgerald Ferrere Trapanick Trask
Hosanna House
807 Wallace Avenue
Wilkinsburg, PA 15221
Dear Mr./Ms. _______________,
We are requesting $1 million for a community mobile market truck in our neighborhood,
to be located in Wilkinsburg, PA. We believe this request fits under your giving area of
Blue Cross Blue Shield Grant because there is a nutritious need and a evidence of a food
desert in Wilkinsburg, PA.
Our vision and mission are central to our efforts in generating funds for this mobile
market truck: a farmer’s market on wheels, inside of the truck locally grown fruits,
vegetables and herbs are available to the community of Wilkinsburg at affordable prices.
The Hosanna Mobile Market’s truck will travel to Hosanna House and Kelly Elementary
School three times a week. Since our goal is to provide nutritious foods at an affordable
price, we accept SNAP and WIC Farmers’ Market vouchers to fulfill that promise.
A nutritious, affordable mobile market truck is needed in our community for the
following reasons: this community has both a low-income and low-access community,
3. Wilkinsburg is a food desert. This means that the city lacks access to affordable,
nutritious food.
With this grant, we will give individuals in this community of Wilkinsburg an increase
of overall health, provide an inexpensive way to obtain food, accepting those with
SNAP Food Stamps, building community relationships, and to increase access to
nutritious foods. This mobile market will serve about one third to one half of the total
population, 19,196. This community mobile market truck will employ a truck driver and
will have volunteers who will assist the structure of this program under the guidance of a
certified Nutritional Advisor and a representative from Hosanna House. We have
collaborated with Hosanna House, YMCA, Giant Eagle, Squirrel Hill Community Bank,
local churches, local businesses and organizations to help this mobile market become a
reality.
I will call to confirm the receipt of this letter and to answer any questions. I can be
reached at 717-873-2646 should you need to get in touch with me, Mandolynn M.
Ferrere.
Sincerely,
Aseltine Fitzgerald Ferrere Trapanisk Trask Leon E. Hayes, III/Joseph L. Garlington Sr.
Staff Members Executive Director/President of Hosanna House
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Hosanna House is seeking a grant to address the nutritional needs in the city of
Wilkinsburg. As both a low-income and low-access community, Wilkinsburg is a food
4. desert. This means that the city lacks access to affordable, nutritious food. To fill this
gap, funding in the amount of $ 1 million is requested for elements of the mobile market
such as permits for truck driving and food selling, as well as cleaning supplies,
purchasing and insuring the truck, and miscellaneous supplies necessary for advertising
and maintenance. Out of the five goals of the Hosanna Mobile Market, the main goal is
to increase the overall health of Wilkinsburg. A major objective is that by October 2015
the people of Wilkinsburg will have access to inexpensive, nutritious food each week
through the Hosanna Mobile Market.
The Hosanna Mobile Market will travel to two locations three times a week. Past studies
involving mobile markets have shown that leaving the market open on weekends allows
more people to shop, therefore expanding the amount of citizens receiving nutritious
food. Studies have also shown that affordability is important in regards to the mobile
market; therefore the Hosanna Mobile Market will accept SNAP and Farmer’s Market
vouchers. Although Hosanna House addresses the needs of the youth in the area,
insufficient nutrition remains an issue in the community of Wilkinsburg. With the Blue
Cross Blue Shield Grant of $1 million, nutritional insufficiencies will decrease in
Wilkinsburg through the Hosanna Mobile Market.
STATEMENT OF NEED:
The community of Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania does not have access to adequate,
nutritious food, making this city a “food desert.” Food deserts are “urban neighborhoods
and rural towns without ready access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food” (USDA,
n.d.). The USDA qualifies areas as “food deserts” if they are both low-income and low-
5. access. Low-income refers to the community having a poverty rate of 20 percent or
greater. Low-access is determined by at least 500 people living more than one mile from
a supermarket or large grocery store (USDA, n.d.). Wilkinsburg falls into both
categories: low-income and low-access (USDA, 2014). At around 21 percent of the
community falling below the poverty line, Wilkinsburg is a low-income city (USCB,
2014). With a gas station and convenience store considered as “grocery stores,”
Wilkinsburg has a limited amount of nutritious food available (Wilkinsburg CDC,
2013).
Therefore, nutritious, affordable food is a gap currently in Wilkinsburg. To fill
this gap, the creation of a truck full of fresh, local produce and herbs will be available
weekly for the community. This “mobile market,” called the Hosanna Mobile Market,
will create an opportunity to change the current absence of available, healthy foods.
With the Hosanna Mobile Market, produce is available year round, regardless of weather
barriers.
A mobile market does not currently exist in Wilkinsburg. Although Hosanna
House currently assists the community in various ways, the “food desert” aspect of the
community is neglected (Hosanna House, 2011). A farmer’s market is in effect in the
community of Wilkinsburg, but it is open four months out of the year, for three hours
twice a week (AgMap, n.d.). The Hosanna Mobile Market will provide produce year
round Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays each week. The Hosanna Mobile Market will
be outside of the Hosanna House from 9am-1pm Monday and Thursday, and from 9am-
12pm Saturday. It will also be outside of Kelly Elementary School from 2:30pm-6:30pm
Monday and Thursday, and 1pm-4pm Saturday. Not only will the hours of this market
6. supersede that of other farmer’s markets, but also since the market is in a truck, the
Hosanna Mobile Market will travel to various parts of Wilkinsburg throughout the day.
In a study facilitating healthy eating in food deserts, on average “those who
shopped at mobile markets (shoppers) ate significantly more fruits and vegetables than
those who did not (non-shoppers)” (Zepeda & Reznickova, 2013). With 82 participants,
half of the participants were of those who shopped at the mobile market (shoppers), the
other half of those who lived near the mobile market but did not shop there (non-
shoppers). A questionnaire was given out prior to the study to obtain information about
eating and shopping habits. Shoppers and non-shoppers gave suggestions for
improvements at the end.
The study found that affordability was crucial, therefore the Hosanna Mobile Market
will allow the use of Farmers’ Market WIC and Senior Farmers’ Market food assistance
program at time of checkout, as well as SNAP program vouchers. This study also
showed that most mobile markets open primarily on the weekdays, but by “adding stops
on the weekend would allow more people to shop there” (Zepeda & Reznickova, 2013).
Also increasing customer awareness as well as publicity and advertising about the
mobile market is vital so that the community is aware of the market. The study
expressed possible strategies to enhance operations: “providing information about
locations, times, products and prices in advance, using banners, flyers, loudspeakers and
jingles, and letting people know all are welcome” (Zepeda & Reznickova, 2013).
Overall, the mobile market initiative has shown to successfully increase the intake of
healthier food to areas considered food deserts. Since Wilkinsburg is also considered a
7. food desert, the increase in overall health is likely to be attained through the Hosanna
Mobile Market.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:
The Hosanna Mobile Market will geographically impact the borough of Wilkinsburg.
The city of Wilkinsburg is 2.3 square miles long (Borough of Wilkinsburg Pennsylvania,
n.d.). There is one school district that will be affected by the Hosanna Mobile Market.
Each of the schools estimated to be impacted are the following: Turner Elementary
School, Kelly Elementary School, Wilkinsburg Middle School, Johnston Elementary
School, and Wilkinsburg Senior High School (Wilkinsburg Borough School District
Schools, n.d.).
The estimated amount of individuals that the Hosanna Mobile Market is
expected to impact is over one third of the total population of Wilkinsburg. Over time
this number is expected to rise to one half, and eventually to three quarters of the entire
population of Wilkinsburg. The total population of Wilkinsburg is around 19,196. More
than half of the total population is female at an estimation of 10,757 while 8,439 to be
male. 1,266 are under the age of five years old, while another 14,711 is 18 years old and
older. Only 3,039 is estimated to be 65 years and over (Borough of Wilkinsburg
Pennsylvania, n.d.).
Eligibility requirements for the purchasing of goods from the Hosanna Mobile Market
will require participants to be a citizen of Wilkinsburg. Each person will be required to
show a valid form of identification verifying his or her citizenship to the Wilkinsburg
Borough.
8. The mission of the Hosanna Mobile Market is to provide affordable, nutritious foods to
the community of Wilkinsburg. As a farmer’s market on wheels, inside of the truck
locally grown fruits, vegetables and herbs are available to the community of
Wilkinsburg at affordable prices. The Hosanna Mobile Market’s truck will travel to
Hosanna House and Kelly Elementary School three times a week. Since our goal is to
provide nutritious foods at an affordable price, we accept SNAP and WIC Farmers’
Market vouchers to fulfill that promise.
GOALS:
1. Increase the overall health of the community of Wilkinsburg
2. Provide an inexpensive way to obtain food
3. Accepting SNAP Food Stamps
4. Build community relationships
5. Increase access to nutritious foods
OBJECTIVES:
1. The people of Wilkinsburg will receive weekly informational flyers to improve their
knowledge about nutrition by October 2015 through the mobile market.
2. The people of Wilkinsburg will receive free education courtesy of Hosanna House of
the fundamentals of eating healthy the first Saturday of every month at 10am. They will
learn what a serving size is, how many servings should be eaten daily, how to prepare
food into healthy meals by a staff member of the mobile market or Hosanna House.
9. 3. The people of Wilkinsburg will receive a complimentary cookbook with their first
purchase at the mobile market in order to improve knowledge of how to make nutritious,
inexpensive meals by October 2015.
4. The people of Wilkinsburg will have access to inexpensive, nutritious food each
week by October 2015 through the mobile market.
5. The people of Wilkinsburg will be able to use SNAP Food Stamps to obtain
nutritious food by December 2014 through the mobile market.
METHODOLOGY:
The Hosanna Mobile Market is needs based, not means-tested. All clients must live
within Wilkinsburg, and even coerced clients are allowed to participate.
The Hosanna Mobile Market will not partner specifically with schools. It will partner
with local community center in Wilkinsburg: Hosanna House. Although Hosanna House
already provides many services to the people of Wilkinsburg, this mobile market is for
the community as a whole to understand self-care through nutrition. Through this clients
will benefit from understanding nutrition as well as practicing better nutrition due to
affordable pricing of local produce.
The Hosanna Mobile Market will operate through Hosanna House and utilize the
YMCA as well as the local churches. Volunteers from Hosanna House and the
community will staff the program. The only paid staff member will be the truck driver.
Training will be provided through nutritional classes to learn how to handle produce and
lend nutritional advice. Support staff will be from the Hosanna House because, as they
10. will be partnering with the mobile market. Specific project staff within Hosanna House
will solely focus on the Hosanna Mobile Market truck.
The Hosanna Mobile Market will be requesting produce and other support from the local
YMCA, Giant Eagle and Squirrel Hill Community Food Bank as well as any other local
organizations. The Hosanna Mobile Market will utilize fundraising as well, through 5K
races around Frick Park, golf outings and car washes.
EVALUATION:
Inventory will be handed out before customers utilize the program in order to figure out
what the community finds they are lacking in nutrition. Every 6 weeks there will be an
evaluation completed in order to see if the nutritional needs are being met. Asking
customers if they are eating healthier due to the Hosanna Mobile Market, or if the
market should add more products will complete the evaluation. Each week the most
common foods/ingredients will be taken into inventory. There will be a qualitative
evaluation taken into account as well. A weekly count of customers will occur as well,
to see who is visiting the market at each location.
The overall goal is to see if there have been altered attitudes about food choices
and whether or not the community as a whole is healthier. The Hosanna Mobile Market
will utilize statistics, annual reports and evaluation surveys. It will also document the
degree of its success through several different ways, including documentation. The first
form of documentation will be in a form of a survey. A survey will be handed out to the
customers of the Hosanna Mobile Market. The final documentation form will be a
monthly report handed out to the community. The program will collect data of how
11. many people are using the market weekly, monthly, and yearly. The Hosanna Mobile
Market will evaluate to find whether needs of the community should be met more
appropriately. The program will finally evaluate overall health reports from hospitals
and doctors found within the community.
Data was collected through numerous ways. First the developers of the program traveled
to Wilkinsburg and walked explored the city for hours. They also researched elements of
Wilkinsburg, including demographics, statistics and news information, in order to get to
know the city even deeper. After noticing the apparent lack of nutritious food available
in Wilkinsburg, it was decided to search for “food deserts” in and around the Pittsburgh
area. The developers found that areas in Allegheny County have a food desert problem.
Part of Allegheny County, specifically Wilkinsburg, is a food desert (Disare, 2013).
The following is a survey to evaluate services:
Rate the quality of our food:
Clean 1 2 3 4 5
Dirty 1 2 3 4 5
Too Hot 1 2 3 4 5
12. Too Cold 1 2 3 4 5
Rate our service to you:
Friendliness 1 2 3 4 5
How food is given to you 1 2 3 4 5
Rate of access to you:
Too far away 1 2 3 4 5
Too close 1 2 3 4 5
Rate of our prices:
Too high 1 2 3 4 5
Too low 1 2 3 4 5
13. Rate of our truck: 1 2 3 4 5
Rate of overall experience: 1 2 3 4 5
Thank you for taking the time to complete this
survey!!
BUDGET
The budget is an approximate amount needed to sustain the Hosanna Mobile Market for
one year. As this program is manned primarily through volunteers via the community
and Hosanna House, the only paid employee is the truck driver.
Item Amount
Truck $25,000
Trailer $6,500
Truck license $50
Truck & trailer insurance $3,500
Gas $2,600
14. Truck & trailer maintenance $3,000
Vehicle registration $50
Driver’s pay $3,978
($76.50/week)
Food license $120
Advertising (flyers) $3,000
Advertising (newspaper) $200
Cleaning supplies $1,000
Miscellaneous $850
APPROXIMATE TOTAL: $50,000
CONCLUSION:
Wilkinsburg is an incredibly at risk community that is in a deep food desert.
Nowhere within the town is there a grocery store let alone a place to buy fresh and
nutritious food. It has been proven that the people of Wilkinsburg are in need of fresh
food within their area. The Hosanna Mobile Market hopes to be able to deliver this need
through the Blue Cross Blue Shield grant. If given the correct amount of aid the
community of Wilkinsburg will one day have the tools necessary to improve overall
nutrition and personal wellness.
15. References
AgMap (n.d.). Wilkinsburg farmers’ market. Promoting America’s agriculture.
Retrieved from
http://agmap.psu.edu/Businesses/index.cfm?fid=1703
Borough of Wilkinsburg Pennsylvania (n.d.). Maps. Borough of Wilkinsburg
Pennsylvania.
Retrieved from
http://www.wilkinsburgpa.gov/about/Maps.aspx
Disare, M. (2013, June 10). Pittsburgh, Allegheny county food deserts located.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved from
http://www.post-gazette.com/local/region/2013/06/10/Pittsburgh-Allegheny-
County- food-deserts-located/stories/201306100168
Hosanna House (2011). Welcome to hosanna house. Hosanna house. Retrieved from
http://www.hosannahouse.org/default.asp
Great schools (n.d.). Wilkinsburg borough school district schools. Great schools.
Retrieved from
http://www.greatschools.org/pennsylvania/wilkinsburg/Wilkinsburg-Borough-School-
District/schools/
16. Grow Pittsburgh (2012). N.a. Grow Pittsburgh. Retrieved from
http://www.growpittsburgh.org
USCB (2014). State & county quickfacts. United States census bureau. Retrieved from
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/42/4285188.html
USDA (2014). Food access research atlas. United States department of agriculture.
Retrieved
from
http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas/go-to-the-atlas.aspx
USDA (n.d.). Food deserts. United States department of agriculture. Retrieved from
http://apps.ams.usda.gov/fooddeserts/fooddeserts.aspx
Wilkinsburg CDC (2013). Wilkinsburg merchants. Wilkinsburg community
development
corporation. Retrieved from
http://www.wilkinsburgcdc.org/resources/wilkinsburg-merchants
Zepeda, L. & Reznickova, L. (2013). Measuring effects of mobile markets on healthy
food
choices. University of Wisconsin, 2-20. Retrieved from
