Mayor Young Announces Extension of Grocery Access Pilot Program in West and South Baltimore Through August

BALTIMORE, MD. — Today, Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young announced that the Grocery Access Pilot Program in West and South Baltimore, which provides low-fare rides to participating grocery stores in these neighborhoods, has been extended to August 31, 2020.

The extension of the program, which enables city residents without their own vehicles to access fresh, healthy grocery options, is made possible through a partnership with Lyft, the City of Baltimore, Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC), Baltimore City Health Department, and the South Baltimore Gateway Partnership (SBGP).

The Grocery Access Pilot Program launched in November 2019, to provide eligible local families living in parts of South and West Baltimore with a $2.50 flat-rate fare on trips to and from participating grocery stores.

“We’re proud to partner with the City of Baltimore, Baltimore Development Corporation, the South Baltimore Gateway Partnership, and Baltimore City Health Department to fill mobility needs and increase access to grocery stores in West and South Baltimore.

“We are relieved that this pilot project had already started before the pandemic hit, and thrilled to extend it now, when people need it most,” said Brad Rogers, executive director of the South Baltimore Gateway Partnership

One in four Baltimore residents live in a healthy food priority area, where the median household income is at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level, according to the Baltimore Food Policy Initiative; and more than 30 percent of city households do not own a vehicle.