PHOTO VIA SECOND HARVEST
Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida (Website) just marked the first-year of its Mobile Farmers Market in Volusia County. From April 2025 through March 2026, the mobile market served 87 individual patients through a produce prescription initiative, filled 549 produce prescription pickups, reached 313 Volusia County residents, and distributed 5,490 pounds of fresh produce.
The market launched in late April 2025 in partnership with the Florida Department of Health in Volusia County, initially focused on increasing access to fresh produce for adults with hypertension. Participants received a referral (basically a prescription for veggies). They could select from a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables when Second Harvest’s refrigerated vehicle visited DOH-Volusia locations in Daytona Beach and Orange City.
The program is part of Second Harvest’s broader “Food is Medicine” initiative, which started in 2016. The first year of programming was funded by Publix Super Markets Charities, and a three-year investment from GUsNIP, for $225,000. They also just secured another $308,000 from USDA.
One in eight Central Florida residents is food insecure, meaning they don’t know where or when their next meal is coming from, according to Second Harvest. Demand in Volusia County has remained high and hasn’t let up, with food needs increasing after the federal government shutdown led to a pause in SNAP benefits late last year. Volusia County residents who can get a referral for the program are able to shop for $36 worth of fresh produce each week when the bus shows up at one of three DOH-Volusia locations in Daytona Beach or the Orange City area. They’re also told how to best prepare the food.
Second Harvest distributes more than 300,000 meals daily across Brevard, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Volusia counties. The Mobile Farmers Market recently received additional USDA funding to support continued growth.
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