The Community Fresh Market — created by meal-prep company Green Chef and the Food Bank of South Jersey — will provide free food twice a month.

Green Chef and the Food Bank of South Jersey are fighting food insecurity by offering a twice-a-month community market with free produce, protein and dairy products.

Food insecurity is the inability to access sufficient food to meet basic needs. The number of people struggling to access quality food is a persistent problem across the country, including South Jersey, where 1 in every 14 people suffers from food insecurity; for children, it is 1 in every 11, said Fred Wasiak, president of the Food Bank of South Jersey.

With an opportunity to help those in need, the food bank teamed up with the meal-prep company Green Chef to start the Community Fresh Market, a free farmers market–style community market that provides organic produce, dairy and proteins. It will also host cooking classes and nutritional programs that teach dietary guidelines and recipes for the foods they're receiving.

The market will take place at various locations across South Jersey twice every month. Upcoming locations can be found on the Food Bank of South Jersey's website, and the schedule for classes can be found here.

"With inflation continuing to contribute to higher food costs, it's critical that nutritious and fresh food is accessible to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity," said Adam Kalikow, senior vice president and managing director of meals kits at HelloFresh. "We're grateful to the Food Bank of South Jersey and community volunteers for hosting Community Fresh Markets and helping us connect with our neighbors in need. Our hope is that these farmers markets will provide fresh ingredients to make nourishing meals at home."