Fort Greene-Farragut Fresh Pantry Launches, Bringing Fresh Produce To NYCHA Residents

Heather Chin -
Photo via Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership.

NYCHA residents from Farragut, Ingersoll and Whitman Houses now have a free monthly market of their own, courtesy of a partnership between City Harvest and the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership (MARP). Dubbed Fresh Pantry, the mobile market will be stationed at Navy and Nassau Streets every third Saturday of the month from 9:30-11:30am.

A mobile market, it is the latest location — there are nine citywide — where City Harvest distributes fresh fruits and vegetables collected/rescued from 35 greenmarkets across the city and distributed directly to community centers, soup kitchens, homeless facilities, and food pantries. The goal, say organizers, is to fight food insecurity and meet the need for access to fresh produce.

“We had 500 people this past weekend [opening day, October 17] as this is definitely something they’ve been wanting for a while, especially seniors,” said Rebeca Ramirez, communications director at MARP. “People take cabs to grocery stores because they’re so far away. If it wasn’t for the [Farragut, Ingersoll, and Whitman] tenants associations, this wouldn’t be happening.”

Residents can pre-register with MARP or register on-site by bringing a photo ID as proof of residency. You’ll receive a key tag that allows you or a family member/friend to pick up your produce. Each registrant receives an average of up to 12 pounds in produce, depending on household size.

“There has never been a major grocery store in the area, and there is limited public transportation for residents to reach supermarkets,” said City Harvest in a statement. “Through our work after Hurricane Sandy, we saw that this neighborhood had food access challenges. [And] the New York Times article helped shine a light on the extent of the need.”

According to Feeding America data from 2015, Brooklyn’s food insecurity rate is at 19.8 percent, while the borough’s overall poverty rate is 23.2 percent, according to the 2013 U.S. Census. Ingersoll Houses is part of the second poorest census tract in the city.

Fort Greene/Farragut Fresh Pantry will operate year-round for at least the next two years and now is looking for indoor space for the winter. “There is no agreed-upon end point,” said Ramirez. Funding is provided by sponsors Brooklyn Navy Yard and Forest City Ratner.