Greener Grocer’s Veggie Van Ready to Roll

By: crsimp01

26 Comments

• 

  lifeontwowheels May 22, 2009 1:59 pm

  I almost always make sure I have cash at NM. 
• 

  brothermarcus May 22, 2009 3:29 pm

  Excellent second response Colleen, no asparagus necessary.  The root of my “I” statement was to make sure that the situation was addressed, and the responses went from left to right field last night so I wasn’t sure how I was being responded to.  My “jerky”ness came from the experience, not only being told I couldn’t just purchase the one ingredient I needed last weekend but also having the sign telling me why they wouldn’t process my purchase picked up and shown to me by the cashier as if I hadn’t already noticed it.  I felt much like the kid in 40 Year Old Virgin who wanted the platform shoes with goldfish in them at the EBay store but wasn’t allowed to buy them.  Going to bed last night I wasn’t sure I’d return to the business, it’s much more likely now.

  If you haven’t already contacted them:  WIC, the health department, and the county extension office all do nutrition education programs that could really use a service like this to refer people to.  Angel Food Network is one resource that low income families are generally referred to by these sorts of programs.  People can also buy seeds to grow their own food with their EBT card, and a lot of individuals could use help with education on preparation and storage of fresh fruits and vegetables on top of simple nutrition education.

  As far as Anne’s encounter with a fee for use of debit cards - a merchant can’t demand an additional fee be paid for the convenience of using your debit card, it’s a violation of the merchant agreement.  It sounds like the organization asked for a voluntary donation for the convenience- which is not in any gray area and fine as long as the customer is permitted to decline… merchants may also offer an incentive for people who pay with cash (some form of increased value) without being in violation- which in a roundabout way is technically charging the people who use their card a little bit more for the convenience… of which I’ve never had an issue with as a consumer.
• 

  Anne May 22, 2009 3:32 pm

  brothermarcus wrote: “merchants may also offer an incentive for people who pay with cash (some form of increased value) without being in violation- which in a roundabout way is technically charging the people who use their card a little bit more for the convenience… of which I’ve never had an issue with as a consumer.”

  I have noticed Ying’s TeaHouse does this. Cash price is one price, cc price is higher.
• 

  Bear May 22, 2009 4:04 pm

  Yeah, I noticed that when I was modifying the set of options in my previous post:  Merchants are not allowed to charge more for credit/debit but are allowed to charge less for cash.  Since those are overwhelmingly the only forms of payment that most people use, and since “more” is the opposite of “less,” the distinction is pretty baffling to me.  But, whatever.
• 

  Local Matters May 22, 2009 11:53 pm

  Hi:

  As the owner of The Greener Grocer and as Ex. Director, I thought I’d jump here very quickly since there seem to be two streams flowing about both organizations through many posts (Thank you all for chattering about us by the way)

  First: Credit Cards:  The GG accepts them for any amount of purchase. Period. It’s the “rules” and part of what we agree to when we sign on with CC companies.  With that said, our preference is to their limit use for small purchases.  Our staff have been instructed to ask our guest if they have cash for smaller transactions but will HAPPILY ACCEPT THEM if no other form of payment is available.

  Second: Veggie Van:  A schedule will be posted online at the GG website within a couple of weeks.  Our vans begin service on Tuesday, primarily to underserved neighborhoods (little access to healthy, nutritious food due to no grocery store or lack of transportation) and will be making about 30 stops per week.  We spend the winter months speaking to key organizations and people in neighborhoods around the city to determine where we should be and what day of the week and time of day would allow us to best serve the community.  We spoke to each of the Health Advisory committees, settlement houses, etc. to be sure that we received an invitation from the community and that we were located in places where we could offer our service to the most people in the neighborhood.  Their is no charge to make a neighborhood stop though we do have a minimum sales quota that we try to meet as the VV is completely subsidized by the GG.  We’ve already run our numbers for the entire VV season and hope to that the program can break even.  Your purchases in the store help support this program.

  Third: Food Justice: Simple definition: Food justice is insuring that everyone has enough healthy, local food to eat not matter economic means, healthy food for our children, food that doesn’t contain harmful things that we don’t know about, freedom to grow our own food and the ability to buy food directly from farmers, fair wages for those who grow, cook and work with food and the humane treatment of animals within our food system.
  Within our urban communities, it’s also a willingness to share power and resources in such a way that allows the community to decide what it needs to become healthy and sustainable rather than having programs imposed without an invitation.
  Peace
  
  
• 

  Anne June 25, 2009 3:08 pm

  Veggie Van Stops! Has anyone tried it yet?

  MONDAY
  •    Bexley Heritage Apartments
  ­    2115 Astor Avenue, 43209
  ­    Every other Monday (starting June 8) 9:00-11:00
  •    Seton South Apartments
  ­    155 Highview Boulevard, 43207
  ­    Every other Monday (starting June 8) 12:00-1:00
  •    Southwest Community Center YMCA
  ­    3500 1st Avenue, 43123
  ­    Mondays 9:00-11:00
  •    Wedgewood Village
  ­    777 Wedgewood Drive, 43228 – behind the Leasing Office
  ­    Mondays 12:00-2:00
  •    Central Community House
  ­    1150 E Main Street, 43205
  ­    Mondays 4:00-6:00
  •    Grove City YMCA
  ­    3600 Discovery Drive, 43123
  ­    Mondays 4:00-6:00
  TUESDAY
  •    Heritage Tower Apartments
  ­    1151 College Avenue, 43209
  ­    Tuesdays 9:00-11:00
  •    St. John’s Episcopal Church
  ­    1003 W Town Street, 43222 – gravel lot across the street
  ­    Tuesdays 9:00-11:00
  •    Poindexter Village
  ­    240 N Champion Avenue, 43203
  ­    Tuesdays 12:00-2:00
  •    Center for Latin Hope
  ­    2300 Sullivant Avenue, 43204
  ­    Tuesdays 12:00-2:00
  •    Godman Guild
  ­    303 E 6th Avenue, 43201
  ­    Tuesdays 3:00-5:00
  •    Christian Assembly
  ­    4099 Karl Road, 43224
  ­    Tuesdays 4:00-6:00
  WEDNESDAY
  •    Eldon and Elsie Ward Family YMCA
  ­    130 Woodland Avenue, 43203
  ­    Wednesdays 9:30-11:30
  •    Hilltop YMCA
  ­    2879 Valleyview Drive, 43204
  ­    Wednesdays 9:30-11:30
  •    Moler Elementary School
  ­    1560 Moler Road, 43207
  ­    Wednesdays 12:30-2:30
  •    Nationwide Children’s Hospital
  ­    255 E Main Street, 43215
  ­    Wednesdays 1:00-3:00
  •    West Side Boys and Girls Club
  ­    115 S Gift Street, 43215
  ­    Wednesdays 4:00-6:00
  •    Gahanna YMCA
  ­    555 YMCA Place, 43230
  ­    Wednesdays 4:30-6:30
  THURSDAY
  •    Early Childhood Education and Family Center
  ­    2879 Johnstown Road, 43219
  ­    Thursdays 11:30-1:30
  •    Adult Parole Authority
  ­    770 W Broad Street, 43222 – in the rear parking lot
  ­    Thursdays 12:00-2:00
  •    Huckleberry House
  ­    1421 Hamlet Street, 43201
  ­    Thursdays 2:30-4:30
  •    The Neighborhood House, Inc.
  ­    1000 Atcheson Street, 43203
  ­    Thursdays 4:00-6:00
  FRIDAY
  •    St. Stephen’s Community House
  ­    1500 E 17th Avenue, 43219
  ­    Fridays 9:00-11:00
  •    Worley Terrace Apartments
  ­    99 S Central Avenue, 43222
  ­    Fridays 9:00-11:00
  •    Creative Child Care
  ­    5765 W Broad Street, 43119
  ­    Fridays 4:00-6:00
  SATURDAY
  •    South Side Settlement House
  ­    310 E Innis Avenue, 43207
  ­    Saturdays 9:00-11:00
  •    Summit’s Trace Healthcare Center
  ­    935 N Cassady Avenue, 43219
  ­    Saturdays 9:00-12:00
  •    SouthPointe Market Place
  ­    3459 High Street, 43207
  ­    Saturdays 12:00-2:00