Albany mobile grocery store expands to Sumter Co.

AMERICUS, Ga. (WALB) - The Albany mobile grocery bus, A Better Way Grocers, has expanded its mission to fight food deserts in South Georgia. That expansion now includes Sumter County.

The expansion was a year in the making and will serve areas in Sumter County that don’t have grocery stores.

“Driving food in communities for better health,” A Better Way Grocers Founder Tiffany Terrell said.

The non-profit has served over 100 people throughout South Georgia. — The non-profit has served over 100 people throughout South Georgia.(WALB)

That’s something Terrell has been doing since 2019. The expansion to Sumter County came at a time when gas and grocery prices have skyrocketed, which has also impacted the non-profit organization — still, Terrell said she won’t let that stop her fulfill her mission.

“Studies show that when communities have better access to healthier foods, the community is healthier and it thrives,” she said. “When you can help people have access — people who don’t have cars, people who have mobility issues, to be able to come directly to their doorsteps is life-changing.”

With COVID-19 and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits ending this week, Terrell said more people are showing a bigger need for affordable food access.

The non-profit's founders purchase fresh produce and food supplies for people to have easy food... — The non-profit's founders purchase fresh produce and food supplies for people to have easy food access.(WALB)

“We’ve already seen the decline in Dougherty County with COVID SNAP dollars stopping most of our seniors get between $16 and $20,” Terrell said.

That’s another problem she’s hoping to solve in the near future with the expansion of supported payment options.

“We’re trying to work with Aetna and Humana to be able to accept the healthy food cards. Right now, they’re only doing Big Box. Our goal is to be able to accept those cards so that way they can have some extra dollars to spend on healthy foods,” she said.

The expansion has made Andersonville residents, like Sandra StormCaller, grateful for the support.

“We’re just really happy to have that wonderful resource of the bus,” StormCaller said.

StormCaller added that she’s seen people struggle with food security — something she says A Better Way Grocers can help with.

“This will really help our elderly and everything so they don’t have to beg for a ride to go to Americus. And help me too because I don’t like going to Americus,” StormCaller said.

For more information about A Better Way Grocers, click here.

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