By Alex Christodoulides
The green carts legislation will put 150 fruit and vegetable carts on the streets of Queens neighborhoods including Jamaica, Springfield Gardens, St. Albans, Hollis and the Rockaways, areas where a 2004 city Health Department study showed that more than 26 percent of residents did not eat any fresh produce the previous day.”When fully implemented, our best estimate is that this initiative will result in at least 75,000 New Yorkers eating more fruits and vegetables, which could save at least 50 lives a year in the long term,” Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.He announced last Thursday that the initiative was getting a $1.5 million boost from the Laurie Tisch Illumination Fund to help green cart operators get started.The money will go into the mayor's Fund to Advance New York City, where it will be used to develop a distinctive cart design, establish relationships with nonprofit wholesalers who can supply vendors, launch a marketing campaign to promote the green carts and create a loan fund in partnership with Accion New York to help operators cover start-up costs.”New Yorkers are lucky to have such a strong network of philanthropists working to make our city a better place,” Bloomberg said.Reach reporter Alex Christodoulides by e-mail at achristodoulides@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 155.
