Baltimore Broadens ‘Virtual Supermarket’ Program

The city of Baltimore has opened its seventh “virtual supermarket,” as part of a program that enables residents of underserved areas to access affordable, healthy food, according to a published report.

“I truly envision a Baltimore where each neighborhood has equitable access to healthy, affordable and quality food every single day,” said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake as she revealed the opening of the latest virtual supermarket in the city, the N. M. Carroll Manor Senior Apartments in Harlem Park. There are also plans for the program to expand to other areas within the city, reported CBS affiliate WJZ.

Under the initiative, people can order groceries online from local ShopRite stores and have them delivered to seven designated locations. The program is the first in the United States to accept EBT (food stamps) for online grocery orders.

As many as one in four Baltimoreans lives in food deserts, according to WJZ.