WARREN — Just as Mahoning County has a mobile grocery market that travels throughout Youngstown, Warren officials are considering creating a mobile market to serve areas in the city.
Pastor Jeff Sanford of Progressive Baptist Church in Warren discussed the idea of having a mobile market with city council on Wednesday.
He is with the Alliance for Congregational Transformation Influencing our Neighborhoods, which is focusing on addressing food deserts in communities.
“There are food insecurities and limited access to food for many Warren residents. Youngstown has this problem and many parts of Warren suffer the same problem. It is our goal and hope to bring a mobile market to Trumbull County,” Sanford said.
He said Mahoning County got its mobile market through the efforts of ACTION, Flying High Inc., MYCAP and Youngstown city officials. The vehicle is housed at the Campus of Care on Countyline Road on the border of Austintown and Weathersfield.
Vicki Vicars, lead organizer with ACTION, said the mobile market has fresh produce, fruits and vegetables, eggs, milk, meats, bread, ice cream and other food items.
She said Trumbull County is being asked to consider having a mobile market and spoke to Warren city officials about seeking American Rescue Plan funds.
Vicars said Mahoning County officials spent nearly $350,000 to get their mobile market up and running.
Jeff Magada, executive director with Flying High, said the mobile market benefits many people, including senior citizens in high rises who do not have transportation or the ability to get to a grocery store, as well as those who live in low-income areas with few stores.
“There are people who do not have access to fresh fruits and vegetables. The mobile market makes it possible,” he said.
Stanford said the mobile market makes stops at more than 20 locations in Mahoning County in one month and serves between 500 and 700 customers. He said several Trumbull County churches are active with ACTION.
Warren 1st Ward Councilman Todd Johnson said the city needs to do what it can to help the mobile market come to fruition for Trumbull County.
He said officials will see what ARP funds may be available to pay for a portion of the mobile market.
Johnson said depending on funding and ability to build the mobile market, it could start in late 2023 or early 2024. Proponents also plan to meet with the county commissioners about the mobile market.
CAMERAS
In other action Wednesday, officials said they plan to see if grants are available to get additional traffic cameras for the city just as they were able to do for the 6th Ward. Safety Service Director Eddie Colbert said the $218,000 grant obtained was designated for the southwest section of the city.
“We want to put the cameras where the hot spots are. We rely on the experts to tell us where the cameras need to go,” Colbert said.
Councilman-at-Large Gary Steinbeck said the “wheels need to be in motion” to get more cameras to deal with crime in some parts of the city.
Sixth Ward Councilwoman Cheryl Saffold said the cameras were purchased with a grant and not ARP funds. She said cameras need to be able to read license plate numbers of vehicles in case a crime is committed.
Colbert said the cameras the city has are good, but cameras purchased in the future will detect license plates through specific software.
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