By DANETTE BILLUPS
Outside, a woman sits on a bench and has her wagon. She is waiting for this week’s free meals to be delivered. She feels fortunate to be part of the program offering the meals. When her food box is delivered, she quickly opens it to see what is inside: Swiss chard, ground turkey, canned beans, grits, tomatoes, and bell peppers! What a lovely surprise! And she received a bonus: there are two recipe cards in the box as well! She hurries inside with her food and tells everyone in sight about what she has received for the week.
At the community meet and greet, community members come together to see who is new in the neighborhood. There is a nice spread of food on the tables. Across the street, there is a city bus, covered with pictures of food. It is the Twin Cities Mobile Market! The Mobile Market visits different locations in the Phillips neighborhood, bringing the grocery store to the community. People shop for their weekly food and chat afterwards about what’s for dinner.
Whether shopping for groceries, receiving free food or sharing a meal with a friend, food is the great unifier in the Phillips neighborhood.
About Danette: I am the former Board Chair of the Phillips West Neighborhood Association. I love this community, and I am lucky enough to be able to work within walking distance of home. I have worked here at Ebenezer Park Apartments for the past seven years. I write what I see. And I see a strong, vibrant community coming together everyday to support those around us.
Information on the food resources mentioned:
The Appetite for Change/Community Cooks program is open for applications in May of each year and food is distributed from June through November of each year. Interested parties would contact them through their Facebook Page, and would receive a link to apply. Unfortunately, the application process closed quickly this year.
Sister’s Camelot is at the American Swedish Institute located at 2600 Park Avenue on the fourth Monday of the month at 2:00 PM. There is no need to sign up, just show up.
The Twin Cities Mobile Market is currently parking at Ebenezer Park Apartments (2700 Park Avenue) on Mondays from 2:05 PM – 4:30 PM. There is no need to sign up. They accept payment for the food by use of cash, credit/debit card, or EBT.
