The Good Food Bus has been transformed for 2017 into a spacious truck and trailer with two large concession windows.

The Good Food Bus, a colorful mobile market that offers fresh fruits, vegetables, and other nutritious foods for sale at multiple stops in three counties, will hit the road for its second full season starting Tuesday, July 18.

The goal of the project, which is operated by St. Mary’s Nutrition Center and Cultivating Community, with grant support from the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation and other funders, is to make fresh, healthy foods more accessible to households that may experience food insecurity while helping Maine farmers and distributors reach new customers. All are welcome to shop at the Bus’s new roster of weekly stops in Lewiston, Auburn, Bath, Gorham, and Westbrook.

Customers of the Good Food Bus will find a wide variety of fresh, locally-grown fruits and vegetables, along with favorites from away, such as citrus and bananas. Other items for sale will include eggs, cheese, and bread; pre-prepared frozen lunch items; and, at select stops, meal bags stocked with a recipe and all the ingredients needed to prepare a delicious and healthy dinner.

Cash, credit-debit, SNAP-EBT, and WIC coupons will be accepted at all stops, and SNAP-EBT and WIC customers can get twice the fruits and vegetables for their dollar through the Maine Harvest Bucks and other programs.

Previously a 30-foot school bus, the Good Food Bus has been transformed for 2017 into a spacious truck and trailer with two large concession windows. This new vehicle set-up will help the service function more efficiently, allowing it to reach more people by incorporating more stops. “We are really excited about the new and improved Good Food Bus,” says program coordinator Price Hulin. “This market model is attractive, user-friendly, and will allow us to reach more people in the communities we serve.”

Last year, the bus served nine stops, where it sold $20,000 worth of food to approximately 700 households. 42% of those sales were made to households with low incomes. This year, the Good Food Bus starts the season with 11 confirmed stops, and more to be added as the summer progresses.

The confirmed stops for 2017 are:

Tuesday: Noon to 12:30 p.m. – Goodwill Industries, 34 Hutcherson Drive, Gorham; 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. – Westbrook Pointe Apartments, 26 Prospect Street #41, Westbrook; 2 to 5 p.m. – St. Mary’s Nutrition Center, 208 Bates Street, Lewiston; 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. – St. Anthony’s Church, 268 Brown Street, Westbrook.

Wednesday: 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. – Center for Women’s Wisdom, 97 Blake Street, Lewiston; 11 a.m. to noon – St. Mary’s Integrative Medicine, 198 Main Street, Lewiston; 12:30 to 2 p.m. – St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, 93 Campus Avenue, Lewiston; 4 to 5:30 p.m. – Knox Street Community Garden, 61 Knox Street, Lewiston.

Thursday: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Bath Iron Works, Bath.

Friday: Noon to 1:30 p.m. – Bedard Pharmacy and Medical Supplies, 359 Minot Avenue, Auburn; 2 to 3 p.m. – Lake Auburn Avenue Townhouse, 74 Lake Auburn Avenue, Auburn; 4 to 5:30 p.m. – Great Falls Plaza (across from the YMCA), 62 Turner Street, Auburn. ?

For more information about the Good Food Bus, call St. Mary’s Nutrition Center at 513-3849 or see www.facebook.com/GoodFoodBus.