GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan — The COVID-19 pandemic's impact on marginalized communities only further exposed a present need, and in turn accelerated the work of the South East Market's founders.
Alita Kelly, founder of South East Market, and Khara DeWit, co-founder, say it's also been community support of their mission that's helped to set it into motion.
"A lot of this has come along so quickly because of the community support," Kelly said on Friday.
From the specially made shelving in the store, to the fundraiser that surpassed its goal.
"Even our GoFundMe being so successful and really allowing us to launch in this strong way, it goes to show that this is something that the community has wanted and that they're willing to show up for," Kelly said. "So, we're really grateful."
Their mission is to make fresh, locally and intentionally sourced foods accessible to the 49507 zip code.
"A lot of people are familiar with the term food desert," Kelly said. "We prefer to use the term food apartheid because a desert is a thriving ecosystem, and food apartheid really speaks to the intentional separation of resources that this community has been experiencing over quiet some time."
And COVID-19 has further exposed the need for this access, the owners say.
"Access to healthy food, especially during a time when COVID is hitting marginalized communities at a higher rate. The healthy food that we're providing is medicine for them, you know, to be able to keep healthy as the threat of COVID continues," DeWit said.
COVID-19 has also led the owners to work faster to build out a delivery system for customers who are not able to visit the store in person. They are in the process of moving all their products online, and DeWit said the eventual hope is to employ young people through a mentorship model to help with delivery.
Their food and products are first sourced from Black, Indigenous, people of color and women, and their hope is to build consciousness around where the food is coming from.
"So, telling the farmer's story, that's a really big piece of what we want to do to create some consciousness around supporting the ecosystem," DeWit said.
Despite the market not yet being open to the public, South East Market is already cultivating a sense of community. Offering free books outside the shop, recently hosting a free outdoor yoga class and running the MLK Freedom School, a program designed to teach children about topics including food and social justice. Currently, Kelly and DeWit say they are looking at moving the program online as COVID-19 cases mount in Kent County.
South East Market also offers a 'pay it forward' option on its website where anyone can donate toward a fund that will allow customers to purchase higher-end items that would be unaffordable otherwise. Kelly said the store has received $500 in donations toward the program so far.
The market is set to open in early 2021 once it's approved for SNAP EBT transactions, likely sometime in late January or early February. But, they are offering sneak peeks and holding other events in the time leading up to the grand opening. You can sign up for updates on their website.
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