BY: JESSICA BEUKER
This summer, a non-profit grocery store opened that offers healthy foods at a discounted price to those who volunteer their time. The Good Grocer, founded by former pastor Kurt Vickman, is an attempt to restore the dignity and self-motivation of the less fortunate.
After the closure of the affordable SuperValu two years ago, residents in the Lyndale and Whittier areas of Minneapolis, Minnesota were left with almost no affordable and healthy food options.
According to Insight News, Vickman, who served as a pastor for 14 years, resigned and decided to devote his time addressing food insecurity. Along with members of his church, he opened a food shelf but found that it came with quite a few problems.
One problem was that food shelves could provide users with 10 to 20 percent of their food, but for the rest of their groceries, they would have to pay full price. Another issue he noticed was that people taking the food would often try to offer small amounts of money in exchange for their groceries, but as a rule Vickman was not allowed to accept it. “Because people weren’t able to contribute something, whether it’s their time or money, I think it eroded people’s dignity,” said Vickman to the Star Tribune.
Vickman came up with the idea to create a space that fit somewhere between a food shelf and a full-priced grocer. That’s when The Good Grocer was born, where members volunteer in exchange for a 25 percent discount on everything in the store. And becoming a member is simple: Complete a five-minute application and complete two-and-a-half hours of volunteer work a month.
The store has about 375 members, but is open to non-members as well. Regular customers pay the normal price for groceries, while members receive the discount.
The store also provides a sense of community. According to Insight News, professional cake bakers will make personalized birthday cakes for anyone under 18 for only $3. There is a party room available for birthday parties, and on Saturdays, a member runs a Kid’s Club in the space. Kid’s Club allows parents to drop off their children while they work, shop or volunteer.
Good Grocer even puts an emphasis on fresh produce to promote a healthy diet. But Vickman says it’s as much about restoring dignity as it is about affordable and healthy food. “When people are poor, others don’t look at them as being able to contribute,” said Vickman to Insight News. “But everyone has something to contribute. Here they can feel proud instead of walking into a place [a charity food shelf] with their heads down.”
Image sources: startribune.com, goodnewsnetwork.org, facebook.com, huffingtonpost.com
