In the car with the radio on, it is easy to zone out, to not pay attention to the music or interviews coming over the speakers and slip into a form of highway hypnosis.
On the day that Josh Trautwein was on the radio talking about Fresh Truck, a non-profit he founded in 2013, Nate Solder was not zoning out. Nate was very much paying attention.
Fresh Truck is dedicated to making Boston healthier by converting old school busses into mobile markets that drive to areas of the city that are categorized as food deserts, meaning that fruit, vegetables and other healthy foods are difficult to access. When Nate heard what Fresh Truck was doing, he knew he needed to get involved.
Fast forward and now Nate sits on Fresh Truck's Board of Directors and is helping the organization's inaugural fundraiser on Sept. 18. According to the organization's website, "more than half of low-income Boston communities lack access to healthy food, contribuiting to disproportionate rates of diet-related health issues." This mission to help the city and to bring fruits, vegetables and healthy food to those who need it most drew Nate in.
"I have a passion because I studied nutrition. I'm interested in nutrition from a health perspective, from an athletic perspective, and this was just a neat startup," Nate said. "Young people, inspiring people, a group of people that want to help the world, change the world and make it better. It just resonated with me. I thought it was really exciting."
The Freshest in Boston event is being hosted at Coppersmith and will offer dinner and drinks that celebrate the city's food culture. Those who attend will also be able to tour Fresh Truck's mobile markets. Nate will be attending and invited some of his teammates, as well.
The night, he said, is a chance for people to have fun while learning about communities that have a critical need for affordable healthy food options and how Fresh Truck helps to fill that need. Until Nate heard Josh talking and got involved with Fresh Truck, it was an area that was unfamiliar to him.
"[Food deserts] wasn't a category I had ever heard before, so I didn't know anything about that. I know very little about the communities in Boston, but I've gotten to learn. Some of the areas in Boston are interesting because a road will divide a community and it's like night and day," Nate said. "Josh has done a great job of building relationships inside these communities and through grassroots efforts, he's gotten to know the people and not just make something they want but actually provide what they need."
For more information about Freshest in Boston, including tickets to Monday's event, visit its website here.
