For the Reporter

For millions of Americans, especially people living in low-income communities and communities of color, finding a fresh apple is not so easy.

Now in its second year, the Good Food Bag program is gearing up to make that apple a little more accessible starting Sunday.

A bag of local, organic fruits and vegetables worth $10 in the open market, sells for just $5 to low-income residents at the Auburn International Farmers Market. The program works to provide healthy food options that are affordable and accessible for residents of South King County.

“Now that the program is up and running we are addressing accessibility,” said Elliott O’Sheehan, Washington CAN! Food Justice organizer. “We are working now to find new locations where the Good Food Bags will be sold.”

A recent multi-state study cited in The Grocery Gap found that low-income areas had half as many supermarkets as wealthy neighborhoods. Another multi-state study found that eight percent of African Americans live in an area with a supermarket, compared to 31 percent of whites.

Last year, the program provided more than 300 of the reduced-cost produce bags to families from May to September at the Auburn Farmers Market. Each week the bags contain a different variety of fruits, vegetables, greens and an aromatic, along with a recipe to help incorporate the produce into the diets and cooking regimen of recipients.

“Many families struggle to afford healthy, organic food,” said volunteer Rachel Konrad. “Our community came up with this program as a solution and we are looking forward to helping even more people this summer.”

Organizers hope the growing success of this program serves as a model to apply to other areas where access to healthy food is limited.