INDIANAPOLIS – Good, healthy food is just a doorstep away for residents of Marion County, Ind., thanks to Indiana University’s Garden on the Go service. The university has contracted Green B.E.A.N. Delivery — itself a produce delivery service, which provides fresh food throughout the Midwest — to manage the program’s truck operations. Currently, Garden on the Go is utilizing a single truck marked with a large Garden on the Go logo. Deliveries are handled Wednesday through Saturday, stopping at the same locations and times each week.

Though similar to other food delivery services, Indiana University has given it a twist by specifically delivering to so-called “food deserts” in Marion County, which is defined as an area that lacks access to affordable, healthy foods, according to the university.

The goal of the program is to get more produce into the hands of those without access to convenient and affordable fruits and vegetables. According to the Indiana State Department of Health, 29 percent of adolescents and 65 percent of adults in Indiana are overweight or obese. The university noted that studies have shown that people with greater access to supermarkets or a greater abundance of healthy foods in neighborhood food stores, consume more fresh produce and other healthy items. Healthier eating habits can help avoid the development of chronic diseases over time.