Grand Opening of pop-up produce stand at Highland Hospital

Mandela MarketPlace and Alameda Health System Partner to Bring Fresh Produce to Highland Hospital Community

OAKLAND, Calif., February 08, 2016 – Today, Mandela MarketPlace launched a new pop-up produce stand inside Highland Hospital, a member of Alameda Health System (AHS), in a partnership to highlight the importance of healthy eating and to make fresh produce available to the Highland community, including hospital patients, visitors, staff, and the neighboring public. Open each Wednesday afternoon from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., the produce stand, which features produce from local farmers, will provide healthy options in an area where fresh, affordable produce is often scarce and can be hard to find. Additionally, excess produce from Mandela’s stands is donated to Bay Community Fellowship, a church located in West Oakland.

Open each Wednesday afternoon from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., the produce stand, which features produce from local farmers, will provide healthy options in an area where fresh, affordable produce is often scarce and can be hard to find

Funding for the produce stand is made possible through Mandela MarketPlace’s Fresh Creds program, which supports healthier community eating habits, while building a local customer base for small neighborhood retailers that offer healthy products. Produce will also be available at a discount rate to patients receiving CalFresh as part of the hospital’s Bite-to-Balance program.

“We are proud to partner with Alameda Health System to bring healthy food options to Highland Hospital and communicate the importance of healthy eating to the public, patients, and staff,” said Dana Harvey, Executive Director of Mandela MarketPlace. “Our values-based food system network not only prioritizes access to healthy food in low-income communities, but also commits to empowering local trusted institutions, like Highland Hospital, to build a greater supportive network within the community.”

“Mandela MarketPlace at Highland Hospital is a simple, yet significant, expression of caring to our patients, staff, and community,” said John Chapman, Chief Administrative Officer, Highland Hospital.

This collaboration will benefit Oakland’s local food economy, along with CalFresh participants, and will serve to support Highland Hospital’s community presence. The hospital also plans to bring clinical staff to grocery sites in Mandela MarketPlace’s network of retailers to engage with residents about community nutrition and health and provide CalFresh enrollment information.

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