FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BALTIMORE (March 19, 2018) — The Baltimore City Health Department and Klein’s Family Markets announced, today, the newest Virtual Supermarket site at Ruscombe Gardens, 4800 Yellowwood Avenue. This is the city’s 14th location.
Virtual Supermarket and Klein’s Family Markets support online grocery ordering and delivery at Baltimore senior apartment buildings, while providing and promoting healthier foods at area corner stores.
“It can be said that society is rightly judged by how it treats its older citizens and young people,” said Mayor Catherine E. Pugh. “We owe it to our seniors to extend to them the conveniences that technology makes possible, and to ease access to the necessities that support their quality of life. We are so grateful to all of our partners for investing in our community and, and most especially for supporting the elder residents of Baltimore in this innovative way.”
The sites offer weekly grocery ordering and delivery through the Health Department’s Virtual Supermarket Program. Groceries can be ordered from ShopRite using on-site computers. The Virtual Supermarket Program provides staff and trained volunteers – Neighborhood Food Advocates – on-site to help those who don’t have a computer or are uncomfortable placing orders online.
“It is difficult to ask people to keep healthy when they don’t have options to do so,” said Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen. “With the support of our partners and generous organizations, we can invest in solutions to the critical issue of food access and work together to level the playing field so that our older adults can choose healthy options to reduce the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease.”
One out of every four people in Baltimore lives in a Healthy Food Priority Area, meaning they have limited access to healthy foods. Many are seniors. Corner stores, while convenient, often do not meet older adults’ dietary needs, particularly if diabetes or heart disease requires them to eat a diet rich in fresh foods. The Virtual Supermarket is a national best practice for increasing access to healthy food and educating seniors on healthy eating.
