The newly launched hunger solution will provide high-quality, nutritious groceries to families in Petersburg and beyond.
Goodr, in partnership with Amazon, Anthem, Bon Secours, Comcast, and Governor Youngkin’s ‘Partnership for Petersburg’, is proud to announce the launch of the Goodr Mobile Grocery Store in Petersburg, Virginia. The organizations celebrated the official launch on Tuesday, March 19 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that included remarks from Governor Glenn Youngkin, Senator Lashrecse Taylor, Delegate Kim Taylor, Petersburg Mayor Sam Parham, and Goodr Founder and CEO Jasmine Crowe-Houston.
“Amazon, Anthem, Bon Secours, Comcast, and Goodr’s launch of a mobile grocery store in Petersburg is a transformative and innovative solution to address food insecurity in Petersburg,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “We are grateful to all the partners who are working hard to bring life changing nutrition and health options to the citizens of Petersburg and the Commonwealth.”
The Goodr Mobile Grocery Store, one of Goodr’s hunger solutions, aims to provide a convenient solution for families facing food insecurity in Petersburg and surrounding areas. This new offering is a shoppable 26-foot truck that provides free access to essential grocery items, including fresh produce, milk, eggs, and shelf-stable goods. Fully equipped with refrigerators, freezers, and shelving, families can enjoy a shopping experience akin to traditional grocery stores – all at no cost.
It feels incredible to be launching our second Goodr Mobile Grocery Store so soon after the anniversary of our first one. We are grateful to the teams at Amazon, Anthem, Bon Secours, Comcast, and Governor Youngkin’s ‘Partnership for Petersburg’ for sharing our vision and helping us bring this hunger solution to Petersburg and areas in need across the Commonwealth.”
Jasmine Crowe-Houston, Founder and CEO, Goodr
“At Amazon, we not only strive to be Earth’s best employer, but we also want to be a good neighbor. Amazon is grateful for the opportunity to partner with others who share our commitment to increasing food access, supporting economic mobility, and advancing health and wellness in the Petersburg area,” said Lindsay Berry Winter, Head of Amazon Virginia Public Policy.
According to a 2023 USDA report, more than 300,000 Virginia households struggle with food insecurity. Within Petersburg, a lack of access is one of the factors that contributes to the problem. USDA food access data show that over 20% of Petersburg residents lack access to a vehicle and are more than one half mile away from a supermarket. This partnership between Amazon, Anthem, Bon Secours, Comcast, and Goodr introduces a new solution to help fight the logistic and financial barriers to food access in Petersburg. Alongside the many initiatives of Governor Youngkin’s “Partnership for Petersburg”, the Goodr Mobile Grocery Store is another program that aims to further support the needs and improve the lives of Petersburg’s citizens.
“We have seen significant progress in Petersburg this past year collaborating with some amazing partners on projects that truly make a difference in this community,” said Jennie Reynolds, president of Anthem HealthKeepers Plus of Virginia. “Access to healthy food is an important health related social need that impacts health and tackling food insecurity is one of our major priorities at Anthem. This is why working with Goodr makes perfect sense for us as we strive to support the whole health of our members across the Commonwealth.”
“Bon Secours recognizes that the factors that promote individual and community health extend far beyond the walls of our hospitals. As a non-profit health system, we are focused on addressing the social determinants of health that our communities face and access to healthy foods is a major need that’s been articulated by the community,” said Mike Lutes, Market President, Bon Secours Richmond. “We are proud to collaborate with Goodr, Governor Youngkin, and other like-minded organizations who are focused on supporting sustainable solutions so – together – we can meet the challenge of improving the overall health of our community.”
The Virginia launch expands upon Goodr’s flagship Mobile Grocery Store which made its debut in Georgia last year. That mobile store has been successfully providing access to nutritious food as well as health and social service information in rural areas of Georgia and food deserts since March 2023. This new Mobile Grocery Store offers an opportunity to create similar impact, address food insecurity and improve access to nutritious food for the residents of Petersburg.
“We’re pleased to partner with Governor Youngkin and other companies in Virginia to address our most challenging community needs – from hunger to Internet adoption,” said Ray Roundtree, Senior Vice President for Comcast’s Beltway Region. “Comcast’s support for the Goodr mobile food bank serves as another way to help the community and share information about Comcast’s Internet Essentials program, which provides eligible families with fast, affordable and reliable Internet service.”
The Goodr Mobile Grocery Store will host pop-up stops in Petersburg and across Virginia, allowing local families to sign up and shop for high quality, nutritious groceries. Petersburg residents can find more information on the truck’s inaugural event and future food distribution schedule by visiting https://goodr.co/mobile-grocery-store/ or keeping up with Goodr on social media @GoodrCo on Facebook and Instagram
