Feeding Hope: Last Mile’s Mobile Market Brings Fresh Food Where It’s Needed Most

In neighborhoods across the city, Last Mile’s mobile market in Cincinnati is reshaping how people access food, bringing fresh, rescued ingredients right to the heart of the community.

In July 2022, we put that idea into action by launching our first Last Mile Market in Avondale, in collaboration with Cincinnati Children’s SAFE Network. Together, we set out to reduce meal gaps in Cincinnati neighborhoods that are considered “food deserts.” We started with Avondale, where the need was impossible to ignore.

In Avondale, 47% of residents live below the poverty line, and 38% don’t have access to a vehicle. Many families are left without easy access to fresh food, and we knew something different was needed. While we already partnered with more than 100 agencies throughout the city, there were still gaps to fill.

The solution was community-driven. We created a mobile, farmers-style market program that brings free, fresh, rescued food right into the neighborhoods that need it most. No complicated forms. No proof of income. All shoppers need to share is their zip code.

Expanding the Mobile Market in Cincinnati: Beyond Avondale

When we opened the first Market, the response was immediate. Neighbors showed up. Volunteers pitched in. Word spread quickly.

In 2024, we piloted a Market in Price Hill, where 25% of residents live below the poverty line. The need was clear. Thanks to a generous gift from Impact 100 that funded a new refrigerated van, we’ve since expanded to three mobile Market locations in the Price Hill neighborhood.

“It’s a short walk from my house, and I really do appreciate it,” says Robin Clay, a 30-year Price Hill resident who’s shopping for herself and her husband. “Otherwise, a grocery store is several miles in either direction.”  

Behind her, 45-year-old Billie Anderson nods.

“This market helps tremendously. I really appreciate what they do. Every week, I check out what they have, and they usually have something I like.”

We’ve also recently opened a Market in the Villages of Roll Hill, where we are now serving even more families.

Today, our Market operates:

• Four days a week in Avondale
  
• Three days a week in Price Hill
  
• One day a week in the Villages of Roll Hill
  

We don’t simply choose neighborhoods at random. Before we open any new Market, we spend time in the community, attending local meetings, building relationships with leaders, and listening to what residents actually need. Every Market is designed to support and strengthen what already exists in the community.

More Than 28,000 Pounds of Fresh Food Every Month

Each month, we serve more than 2,000 shoppers through our Markets and distribute over 28,000 pounds of rescued food.

Here’s how it works:

• Our Food Rescue Heroes collect donations and bring them to our office.
  
• We sort and divide the food between the Markets.
  
• Market Managers then load up the vans and head to their scheduled neighborhood for the day.

This approach allows us to stock each Market with high-quality, fresh foods that many shoppers may not have access to. Produce, dairy, and proteins are common offerings, and we focus on providing options that support healthier meals.

As our co-founder and CEO Eileen Budo shared,

“We’re collecting perfectly good food and redistributing it to food-insecure people instead of sending it to the dump.”

More Than a Market

For us, this work is about more than just food. It’s about creating a space where people feel welcome and respected.

Maria Garcia, a Last Mile Market Volunteer & Price Hill resident, shared this:

“This is a great program for a lot of people, especially at this difficult time that we are experiencing. I’m happy to be able to help. Other places ask for a lot of information. Especially at this time, the Hispanic community feels worried about giving too much information about their families. This is a great program because they only have to share their zip code. Also, other places give a lot more canned products. Last Mile gives more fresh products; everything is fresher.”

For some volunteers, the Market has a personal meaning too.

Jue Amman, another Last Mile Volunteer, shared:

“I remember when my son and I had to utilize pantries as a single mom and after surviving gun violence. It’s important for me to give back, and I’m honored to have the opportunity to volunteer here at the Market and utilize the Market when needed. I am also happy to see families able to utilize the Market.”

​​Michelle Matthews, the Director of Community and Employee Engagement at the Cincinnati Public Library, has also seen the Market’s impact firsthand, right outside the doors of the Price Hill branch: 

“The community loves this program. People are asking asking, ‘When will they come back?’”

Want to Get Involved?

Our Markets run because of community members who step up to help. We prioritize volunteers who live in the neighborhoods we serve, and we’re always looking for new people to help.

If you live in Avondale, Price Hill, or the Villages of Roll Hill and would like to volunteer, you can fill out an interest form here.

Have a connection in the food industry? Whether it’s a restaurant, food distributor, or local grower, your introduction could be the spark that leads to a new donation.

“If we can pick it up, we can make sure it gets quickly to deserving people in our community,” says co-founder Eileen Budo.

What began as an idea in one neighborhood has grown into a network of Markets showing that fresh, healthy food can be within reach for everyone when a community comes together. Want to support our mobile market in Cincinnati? Donate, volunteer, or spread the word.