Foodlink's Curbside Market

Foodlink’s Curbside Market grows out of a larger mission: using the power of food to end hunger and build healthier communities. In Rochester, that mission takes a direct-market form, pairing fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, and select grocery items with benefit access that includes SNAP and WIC at all stops. Rather than separating food access from everyday shopping, this market puts them together in one program shaped around dignity and regular use. For shoppers who already know Foodlink’s broader work in Monroe County, the Curbside Market is one of the clearest ways that mission shows up in day-to-day life.

Why it matters locally

Foodlink connects the Curbside Market to a regional hunger-relief and health effort that has been operating for decades in Rochester. That matters here because the market is part of Foodlink’s Community Health Programs department, alongside Benefits Navigation, Community Health Education, and FoodRx. In practical terms, the market is not treated as a standalone shopping stop; it sits inside a larger set of services tied to nutrition and access.

Its reach also extends into neighborhoods and partner sites across Rochester, including areas near the Thomas Ryan Rec Center, Norton Village Lodge, the 19th Ward, Maplewood, Charlotte, and Lyell-Otis. Weekly reminder texts through Curbside Connect reinforce that neighborhood-based approach with real-time updates about cancellations and special events.

What you'll find there

The Curbside Market emphasizes staple shopping over vendor browsing, with fresh produce and a smaller grocery component at the center of the offer. The surrounding programs add ways to stretch a visit beyond a single purchase, especially for households using food benefits.

• -Find fresh fruits stocked on the market trucks.
• -Shop fresh vegetables as the core produce selection.
• -Pick up select grocery items alongside produce.
• -Use WIC benefits at all stops.

Curbside Market shoppers can also use Double Up Food Bucks to earn free credits for a next visit when SNAP benefits are used on produce, and Fresh Rewards adds a loyalty program that helps shoppers save regardless of what they buy or how they pay.

Know before you go

No dogs are allowed, which is one of the clearest on-site rules to plan around before heading over. Restrooms are not available, so this is a market where a shorter, purpose-driven stop makes the most sense. If you are driving to Foodlink’s site at 1999 Mt. Read Blvd., directions point to the south parking lot accessed from the Mt. Read Boulevard Service Road.

Transit planning may be easier than expected because Foodlink is located within the RTS Lexington Ave. On Demand Zone, with ride booking referenced through myRTS.com and the On Demand app. For repeat shoppers, Curbside Connect offers weekly reminders when the Curbside Market is nearby, plus real-time updates about cancellations and special events.

Payments & SNAP

SNAP/EBT is accepted at Foodlink’s Curbside Market. The market also accepts WIC benefits at all stops, expanding options for households shopping through nutrition programs. Shoppers using SNAP on produce can enroll in Double Up Food Bucks to earn free credits for their next visit, and Fresh Rewards offers savings no matter how a shopper pays.