Elmhurst-based Eco-Friendly Mobile Farm Stand Project recently received a Climate Action Hero Award from The Chicago Climate Action Museum. Selected from more than 70 nominees, the local non-profit won in the Climate Technology category.
“We are extremely honored to be recognized by an incredible organization that does so much to generate awareness for climate action, particularly here in the Chicago area,” said Bob Kopach, Eco-Friendly Mobile Farm Stand Project founder and executive director.
The Eco-Friendly Mobile Farm Stand Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides urban farmers with electric mobile farm stands for hyperlocal delivery of their locally grown, fresh and healthy produce along with nutrition education to residents experiencing food insecurity—all done without expensive gasoline or polluting the local air.
The organization works with and empowers urban farmers in low- to middle-income neighborhoods to create an environmentally and economically sustainable, hyperlocal, fresh produce delivery system. The electric mobile farm stands allow produce to reach those with very little access to fresh vegetables due to barriers to transportation and living long distances from grocery stores.
The organization has placed vehicles with urban farms in Englewood, West Garfield Park, Little Village, Back of The Yards, North Lawndale, and with the Cook County Sherib’s Farm. Outside of Chicago, Eco-Friendly Mobile Farm Stands are in Sauk Village, East St. Louis and Gary, Indiana. Two additional Chicago area electric farm stands will be launching this fall.
“As grocery stores continue to leave low- to middle-income neighborhoods, passionate, dedicated, and hardworking urban farmers have stepped up to provide nutritious fresh vegetables to the community,” added Kopach. “The electric farm stands help farmers increase their reach to those who cannot make it to the farm, in particular, senior citizens. At the same time, delivery is done without polluting the air. These same neighborhoods are disproportionately affected by harmful air pollution.”
The organization provides the electric farm stands through funding from general donations, private donors and vehicle corporate sponsorships. For more information, visit the organization’s web site: www.efmfsp.com.
