Mobile food market brings locally grown produce to Ajax

Community Care Durham is bringing a mobile food market to the Ajax Community Centre every week this summer.

The market is a collaborative effort between Community Care, the town and Durham College, which grows most of the produce at its Whitby campus. The produce for sale will vary from week to week but may include berries, radishes, lettuce, potatoes, onions, apples, peppers and more. 

The produce at the market is sold at a more reasonable cost than other outlets and all proceeds go to Community Care’s charitable food programs. The charity runs several food-related services including delivering weekly $35.50 food boxes and a meals-on-meals program to deliver affordable hot and frozen meals for older people and people with disabilities.

The Community Care Food Box delivery van will attend the north parking lot of the Ajax Community Centre at 75 Centennial Rd. every Wednesday starting June 28. It will continue throughout the summer and into the fall until Oct. 25. The truck will be at the Community Centre from noon to 2 p.m. rain or shine. In the event of rain, the truck will move inside.

Some 36,000 people in Durham are food insecure. There are numerous supports in place including Community Care and Feed the Need in Durham, another local charity.

Community Care runs numerous programs to assist residents across the region. They describe their mission as to “assist our clients with services that support their independence, health, and quality of life. In doing so, we help them remain in their own homes – where they want to be.”

Donations can be made online.