Hunger Task Force’s Mobile Market Receives Boost From Antetokounmpo Family

Hunger Task Force’s Mobile Market parked near Mitchell Court apartments, 2600 W. National Ave. Photo taken Nov. 6, 2024 by Sophie Bolich.

The weather was cold and drizzly on Wednesday when Alexander Steven Junior stepped out of his southside apartment for a trip to the market. Luckily, he didn’t have to go far.

Junior and many of his neighbors at Mitchell Court apartments purchase their essentials from the Mobile Market, an amenity provided by Hunger Task Force. 

The store, housed inside a converted semi trailer, is stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, eggs, meat, bread, juice and pantry staples from partnered grocer Piggly Wiggly.

“For the basics — vegetables and fruits and deli — this is where I go,” said Junior, who patronizes the market year-round.

Aside from the convenience of shopping just steps from his home, Junior said the prices are a major perk. Hunger Task Force offers a 50% discount on products compared to regular in-store prices.

“For milk, eggs and butter, you can’t beat the prices,” he said. “You can’t beat anything here, actually.”

As its name suggests, the Mobile Market travels throughout the city, making stops at senior centers, near apartment complexes and in neighborhoods with limited access to fresh food.

“It’s a really critical program in terms of bringing affordable, healthy foods into areas of the city that traditionally have barriers to access,” said Matt King, CEO of Hunger Task Force.

After a decade in operation, the Mobile Market is poised to receive a boost from the Charles Antetokounmpo Family Foundation (CAFF) and GE Healthcare; each awarded $50,000 to the nonprofit as part of the Powering Milwaukee Forward initiative.

In October, the Antetokounmpo family, in partnership with GE HealthCare and the GE HealthCare Foundation, announced $1 million in grants aimed at improving health outcomes for Milwaukee residents. Hunger Task Force was one of 10 health and wellness-focused nonprofits to receive a share of the funding.

“I think it’s a fantastic resource for the community, said Andrew Ruehl, senior communications manager and community affairs lead at GE Healthcare. “We know that access to nutritious food is critical to healthier outcomes, and providing these resources in neighborhoods where grocery stores may be scarce contributes to healthier outcomes for residents in the city.”

In line with the nonprofit’s mission, the market prioritizes healthy options with a focus on culturally relevant food.

“The mobile market provides exclusively healthy foods. We’re really proud of that, but also it is responsive to the neighborhoods in which we serve,” King said. “Shoppers are able to provide feedback on items that they would like to see, items that are comfortable for their cultural preferences, religious preferences and dietary preferences.”

More than 12,240 Milwaukee residents have shopped the Mobile Market so far in 2024, according to Hunger Task Force. On Wednesday, more than a dozen of those shoppers crossed paths with Mariah Antetokounmpo, spokesperson for CAFF, who stopped by for a tour.

“I’m amazed,” she said of the market. “Just seeing that this is available for people in the community … I’m excited. I just hope this continues to grow and can help more people here in the community.”

Antetokounmpo, who is married to Milwaukee Bucks player Giannis Antetokounmpo, said the issue of hunger has always struck a chord with her — due, in part, to her husband’s upbringing.

“We wanted to look into food pantries and creating those as a family, because they were critical, especially to Giannis and his family growing up,” she said.

Hunger Task Force supports a number of local food pantries, but its Mobile Market stands apart as a fully operational store.

The Antetokounmpos have a history of philanthropic efforts in Milwaukee, and Mariah said their commitment only strengthened after having children.

“I think becoming a parent has made me even more passionate about wanting to give back,” she said. “And I think with Giannis too, because it really hits you that there’s families — single moms, single dads, grandparents — who are all going through having to choose between x, y and z, which they shouldn’t. There shouldn’t be either fresh food on the table or a roof over someone’s head.”

Mariah emphasized that it has been empowering to discover the existing network of aid groups in the city, providing CAAF a foundation on which to build.

“You want to help everybody, but you can’t,” she said. But we can start someplace and then build on that. I think helping established organizations here with Powering Milwaukee Forward is really going to do so much good and provide so many more resources for people in the community that we love and we consider home,” she said.

The Mobile Market currently makes 35 stops per month and is loaded before each community stop to ensure peak freshness. All shoppers are welcome at the market, which accepts debit cards, credit cards and Quest EBT — but no cash.

A full schedule for the market is available to view online.

A previous version of this article included a different grant amount, based on a provided news release. 

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