Rabbitcares – Grocery Cart Program

rabbitcares provides grocery carts to eligible rabbittransit riders (older adults, people with disabilities and veterans) who need help transporting bags while using public transportation. Riders are responsible for ensuring carts are secure at all times. On fixed routes, carts can be placed in any open wheelchair securement site or close to the rider. On paratransit, drivers help secure carts, as needed. Access to grocery carts gives personal access to healthy food and independence in shopping, while decreasing the risk of falling and fostering safety in public transit travel.

What makes this innovative?

Two and a half million Pennsylvanians (21 percent of the population) have limited access to food. Whether living in a food desert, having insufficient funds to purchase food, or experiencing mobility challenges, older adults and people with disabilities may encounter access issues that prevent them from obtaining food to keep them healthy and independent. Providing a grocery cart to public transportation riders won’t address all these issues, but it will help those who avoid shopping because they cannot carry grocery bags. Something as simple as a grocery cart can promote shopping independence and keep riders active, engaged in their community and healthy. Nearly 96 percent of those surveyed who have received carts said the program has positively impacted their quality of life and makes shopping safer by decreasing the risk of accidents and falls. More than 80 percent reported having a cart makes the difference between access to groceries and not having food when they need it.

Lessons Learned and Replication Advice:

› Seek funding partners and referrals from other agencies for clients when creating the program.

› Ship the cart directly from the vendor, once a rider is deemed eligible. This is the easiest, most efficient way to handle delivery.

› Implement a tracking system for funds requested and received as well as for carts requested, shipped and received.