A look at the produce available at a pop-up market at the Bonneville Transit Center in downtown, Sept. 15, 2021
Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2021 | 8:37 p.m.
Those commuting through downtown Las Vegas were able to buy fresh, locally grown produce on Wednesday as part of a new pilot program aimed to make it easier to access fruits and vegetables.
The Southern Nevada Health District — in partnership with the Regional Transport Commission of Southern Nevada, Three Square Food Bank and the Vegas Roots Community Garden — opened a pop-up produce market at the Bonneville Transit Center and sold produce for as low as $1 per pound.
There was also a separate booth offering on-site enrollment for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.
“We’re really hoping to learn a lot from these pop-up produce markets, to see how well people receive them,” said Elika Nematian, a health educator for the Health District’s Office of Chronic Disease Prevention & Health Promotion.
The RTC hub in downtown was picked, officials said, because of the nearly 8,000 people that cross through every day while waiting for a new bus route. The hub is also located in a zip code considered a “food desert,” defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a location where a large proportion of households do not have access to grocery stores that provide affordable and healthy foods.
According to the USDA, more than 120,000 Southern Nevadans live in food deserts, and many don’t have access to a vehicle.
By having produce available where many people are waiting to catch a bus, it allows folks the opportunity to buy healthy food they may otherwise not have easy access to, said Monika Bertaki, marketing and creative supervisor at RTC.
“Oftentimes we say we’re in a food desert, there’s no access,” Bertaki said. “So (we figured) let’s bring the access to them.
“(Since we) bring folks from all over the Valley here downtown and they don’t have time to go out and go grocery shopping or do gardening, this is an opportunity for them to do it while they’re waiting for the bus,” Bertaki said.
The pop-up market returns from 2 p.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 22 and Sept. 29 at 101. E. Bonneville Ave. Along with food stamps, customers can also use cash, debit or credit cards.
After the pilot program, a more permanent system may be rolled out depending on the number of customers and how it’s received by the public. Bertaki said she was impressed by the steady flow of people going to check out the market.
One of those people, Ray Celaya, said there was plenty of great produce to choose from.
“I’m from California and they have these all the time,” Celaya, 36, said. “No preservatives, no chemicals. And it’s way better to have it like that. … It’s helping local farmers, it’s healthier for you and better for you.”
